Polynesians' Boat
1: Compare and contrast the early voyages of the Polynesians, Vikings, Greeks and Chinese, especially their motivations, vessels, and seafaring skills.
-The Greeks began to explore outside the Mediterranean into the Atlantic Ocean around 900-700 B.C. The Polynesians were the first people to travel through oceans. They developed a reliable means of wayfinding based not on science and mathematics, but rather on their innate knowledge of the seas and sky. The Vikings used the stars and sun to aid their voyages. They relied on tools called peloruses, the sun stone, the bearing dial, the sun shadow board, and the sun compass. The main tool used by Chinese navigators and pilots was the water compass. They used a slightly different method than the Europeans to find the latitude.
-The Greeks began to explore outside the Mediterranean into the Atlantic Ocean around 900-700 B.C. The Polynesians were the first people to travel through oceans. They developed a reliable means of wayfinding based not on science and mathematics, but rather on their innate knowledge of the seas and sky. The Vikings used the stars and sun to aid their voyages. They relied on tools called peloruses, the sun stone, the bearing dial, the sun shadow board, and the sun compass. The main tool used by Chinese navigators and pilots was the water compass. They used a slightly different method than the Europeans to find the latitude.
2: Discuss the importance of record-keeping and cartography to voyaging, and the historical role of the Library of Alexandria.
-Early mariners began to record information to make their voyages easier and safer-- the location of rocks in a harbor, landmarks, and the sailing times between them, the direction of currents. Progress in applied marine science began at the Library of Alexandria in Egypt. The library constituted history's greatest accumulation of ancient writings. The library and the adjacent museum could be considered the first university in the world.
-Early mariners began to record information to make their voyages easier and safer-- the location of rocks in a harbor, landmarks, and the sailing times between them, the direction of currents. Progress in applied marine science began at the Library of Alexandria in Egypt. The library constituted history's greatest accumulation of ancient writings. The library and the adjacent museum could be considered the first university in the world.
Ferdinand Magellan
3: List some of the major contributions to early voyaging of Prince Henry, Magellan and Columbus.
-Prince Henry the Navigaor established a center at Sagres for the study of marine science and navigation. Captains under his patronage explored from 1451 to 1470, compiling detailed charts wherever they went. They pushed south into the unknown and opened the west coast of Africa to commerce. Chirstopher Columbes discovered the New World by accident. His intention was to pioneer a sea route to the rich and fabled lands of the East, but he discovered North America. Ferdinand Magellan believed that he could open a westerly trade route to the Orient. He proved that it was possible to circumnavigate the globe.
-Prince Henry the Navigaor established a center at Sagres for the study of marine science and navigation. Captains under his patronage explored from 1451 to 1470, compiling detailed charts wherever they went. They pushed south into the unknown and opened the west coast of Africa to commerce. Chirstopher Columbes discovered the New World by accident. His intention was to pioneer a sea route to the rich and fabled lands of the East, but he discovered North America. Ferdinand Magellan believed that he could open a westerly trade route to the Orient. He proved that it was possible to circumnavigate the globe.
Captain James Cook
4: Discuss the role of Captain James Cook in the history of marine science, and be aware of his three major voyages.
-Oceanography began under the capable command of James Cook of the British Royal Navy. His primary reason for the vaoyage was to assert the British presence in the South Seas. On his first voyage, he and his men found and charted New Zealand. On his second voyage, he charted Tonga and Easter Island, discovering New Caledonia in the Pacific and South Georgia in the Atlantic. In his last voayge, he found the Hawai'ian Islands and charted the west coast of North America.
-Oceanography began under the capable command of James Cook of the British Royal Navy. His primary reason for the vaoyage was to assert the British presence in the South Seas. On his first voyage, he and his men found and charted New Zealand. On his second voyage, he charted Tonga and Easter Island, discovering New Caledonia in the Pacific and South Georgia in the Atlantic. In his last voayge, he found the Hawai'ian Islands and charted the west coast of North America.
5: Describe the United States Exploring Expedition, its objectives and accomplishments, and its importance in bringing the United States into the field of oceanography.
-The work of the scientists aboard the flaship USS Vincennes and the expedition's five other vessels helped establish the natural sciences as reputable professions in America. Wilke's team explored and charted a large sector of the east Antarctic coast and made observations that confirmed the landmass as a continent. The expedition returned with many scientific specimens and artifiacts, which formed the nucleus of the collection of the newly established Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.
-The work of the scientists aboard the flaship USS Vincennes and the expedition's five other vessels helped establish the natural sciences as reputable professions in America. Wilke's team explored and charted a large sector of the east Antarctic coast and made observations that confirmed the landmass as a continent. The expedition returned with many scientific specimens and artifiacts, which formed the nucleus of the collection of the newly established Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.
HMS Challenger
6: Describe the Challenger expedition and its major contributions in marine science.
-The HMS Challenger was a steam-assisted Royal Navy ship launched on February 13, 1858. For the first time, two hundred scientists went to the ocean to understand it. This is the first oceanography expedition. The discovery of life in the depths of the oceans stimulated the new science of marine biology. The Challenger Report provided the foundation for the new science of ocenanography. With
this success, the pace of ocean exploration accelerated.
-The HMS Challenger was a steam-assisted Royal Navy ship launched on February 13, 1858. For the first time, two hundred scientists went to the ocean to understand it. This is the first oceanography expedition. The discovery of life in the depths of the oceans stimulated the new science of marine biology. The Challenger Report provided the foundation for the new science of ocenanography. With
this success, the pace of ocean exploration accelerated.
7: Chronicle the rise of land-based oceanographic institutions, from the early beginnings in Naples and Monaco to the major facilities now operating in the United States.
-The first land-based laboratory was in Naples, Italy. William Ritter wanted an oceanographic institution for the US, and with the help of EW Scripps and Browning Scripps, made the 1st institution in San Diego. Later, in Cape Cod on the other side of the States, the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution was founded, which had immense growth during WWII.
-The first land-based laboratory was in Naples, Italy. William Ritter wanted an oceanographic institution for the US, and with the help of EW Scripps and Browning Scripps, made the 1st institution in San Diego. Later, in Cape Cod on the other side of the States, the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution was founded, which had immense growth during WWII.
8: List the disciplines in which marine research is being done today, as it relates to recent advances in data gathering and technology.
-There are many diverse topics that reflects multiple disciplines in oceanography. They range from different branches: biological, chemical, geography, meteorology, and physics. Disciplines within these areas range from biogeochemistry, biogeography, coastal geography, environmental science, geophysics, glaciology, hydrography, hydrology, and limnology to meteorology.
-There are many diverse topics that reflects multiple disciplines in oceanography. They range from different branches: biological, chemical, geography, meteorology, and physics. Disciplines within these areas range from biogeochemistry, biogeography, coastal geography, environmental science, geophysics, glaciology, hydrography, hydrology, and limnology to meteorology.
Vocabulary Words
Cartography- drawing maps; mapping
Glomar Challenger- a deep sea research and scientific drilling vessel for oceanography and marine geology studies.
Voyaging- go on a long journey by sea
Celestial Navigation- navigation using the sun, moon, and stars
GPS (Global Positioning System)- worldwide navigational and surveying facility based on the reception of signals from an array of orbiting satellites
Chart- a map that depicts mostly water and the adjoining land areas.
Latitude- imagery lines on Earth's surface running parallel to the equator
Chronometer- a very consistent clock. It doesnt need to tell accurate time, but its rate of gain or loss must be constant and known exactly so that accurate time may be calculated.
Longitude- imagery lines on Earth's surface running north and south and converging at the poles.
Compass-an instrument for showing direction by means of magnetic needle swinging freely on a pivot and pointing to magnetic north.
Oceanographic Institution- institutions focusing on the study of marine envrionment; oceanography
Dark Ages- The period in western Europe between the fall of the Roman Empire and the high Middle Ages, c.ad 500–1100.
Renaissance- The revival of art and literature under the influence of classical models in the 14th–16th centuries.
Echo Sounder-a device that reflects sound off the ocean bottom to sense water depth.
Satellite Oceanography- growing fields of oceanography; study the ocean general circulation, its large-scale, low frequency variability, biological productivity, turbulent eddy energy, and air-sea interactions.
Glomar Challenger- a deep sea research and scientific drilling vessel for oceanography and marine geology studies.
Sounding- a form of energy transmitted by rapid pressure changes in an elastic medium.
Glomar Challenger- a deep sea research and scientific drilling vessel for oceanography and marine geology studies.
Voyaging- go on a long journey by sea
Celestial Navigation- navigation using the sun, moon, and stars
GPS (Global Positioning System)- worldwide navigational and surveying facility based on the reception of signals from an array of orbiting satellites
Chart- a map that depicts mostly water and the adjoining land areas.
Latitude- imagery lines on Earth's surface running parallel to the equator
Chronometer- a very consistent clock. It doesnt need to tell accurate time, but its rate of gain or loss must be constant and known exactly so that accurate time may be calculated.
Longitude- imagery lines on Earth's surface running north and south and converging at the poles.
Compass-an instrument for showing direction by means of magnetic needle swinging freely on a pivot and pointing to magnetic north.
Oceanographic Institution- institutions focusing on the study of marine envrionment; oceanography
Dark Ages- The period in western Europe between the fall of the Roman Empire and the high Middle Ages, c.ad 500–1100.
Renaissance- The revival of art and literature under the influence of classical models in the 14th–16th centuries.
Echo Sounder-a device that reflects sound off the ocean bottom to sense water depth.
Satellite Oceanography- growing fields of oceanography; study the ocean general circulation, its large-scale, low frequency variability, biological productivity, turbulent eddy energy, and air-sea interactions.
Glomar Challenger- a deep sea research and scientific drilling vessel for oceanography and marine geology studies.
Sounding- a form of energy transmitted by rapid pressure changes in an elastic medium.