A Practical Method for Determining Ocean Currents (Classic Reprint) - Hardcover

Edward H. Smith

9780265568224: A Practical Method for Determining Ocean Currents (Classic Reprint)

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0265568226 ISBN 13: 9780265568224

Publisher: Forgotten Books, 2018

View all copies of this ISBN edition

0 Used

2 New

From US$ 38.53

Explore how winds, rotation, and water properties shape ocean currents and how scientists measure them.

This book provides a practical look at dynamic physical oceanography, explaining the forces that drive currents and how they are observed and computed. It weaves theory with hands-on methods, helping readers understand models, diagrams, and real data used to describe ocean flow.

The text focuses on how gradient currents form when the sea surface is reshaped by wind, how Earth's rotation alters motion, and how these ideas translate into usable calculations. It also offers practical steps for analyzing observational data, including how to determine the dynamic depth and how to represent forces in a plane formed by vertical levels. A key goal is to connect abstract equations with the measurements taken along hydrographic sections, to show how currents are quantified in the field.

How gradient currents arise from differences in density and pressure, and how they interact with rotation.
How surface and subsurface flows relate through vertical structure and the Ekman effect.
How dynamic depth is computed from observed pressure and specific volume data.
How to interpret diagrams and equations that describe ocean current forces for practical use.

Ideal for readers of nonfiction seeking a clear, applied view of how scientists determine ocean currents and their motions.

"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.