Week 3 Intro & Agenda

Identify the major features of ocean basins

Overview:
Recognize and Identify major features of the ocean basins

Details:
1.  Define bathymetry and give an example of its use in understanding the seafloor
2.  Describe and distinguish between active and passive continental margins (see below)
3.  Describe and sketch the regions of the continental margins; shelf, slope, rise
4.  Explain the formation of submarine canyons
5.  Describe the locations and explain the structure of the mid-ocean ridges
6.  Define and describe the abyssal plains and hills, and guyots
7.  Define and describe trenches and island arcs
8.  Relate the distribution of oceans and land with elevation based on the hypsographic curve or graph (see attached file as well as textbook - scroll to bottom for graph):
http://www.waterencyclopedia.com/Oc-Po/Ocean-Floor-Bathymetry.html

Note: Active vs Passive Margins
There are important relationships and distinctions between a continental  margin and a plate margin.  Using your textbook maps of seafloor topography, seafloor ages, and plate boundaries, be sure you understand the terms passive (or trailing) margin and active (or leading) margin and how these definitions come from plate boundaries that are associated with continental boundaries.

Pay close attention to the east and west coasts of North and South America, and be sure you can determine which side of North America, east or west, is a passive margin, and which side is an active margin.

W 3: Ch 5: Recognize different ocean sediments, their characteristics and origins

Overview:
Recognize the different seafloor sediments and explain their origins

Details:
1.  Describe how sediments are classified by size and source
2.  Define neritic and pelagic sediments
3.  Describe and define turbidity currents and their origins
4.  Describe and define calcareous and siliceous oozes; identify areas of different oozes on the global seafloor map
5.  Define the Carbonate Compensation Depth

Chapters 4 & 5