Oceanography is the scientific study of the oceans, which cover over 70 percent of the Earth's surface. Earth's water supply, 98 percent of which is ocean water, makes it unique compared to the other eight planets in our solar system, which do not have appreciable amounts of water. The oceans directly and indirectly affect all life on Earth: its origins, its ecosystems, and its access to a variety of resources.

Oceanography is divided into four major areas of research: physical, chemical, biological and geological. The physical aspect of oceanography includes studying many basic processes such as the currents, tides, development and maintenance of boundary layers, rates of water transport, etc. Chemical oceanographers study the chemical constituents of the sea, and the availability of chemical elements such as zinc, copper and nitrogen in the water. Biological oceanography involves the study of all aspects of life in the sea including rates of...