Wed, 29 Oct 2008 11:40:39 EDT http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/ This is a list of ocean facts generated by the Ocean Service. Troy.Kitch@noaa.gov http://validator.w3.org/feed/docs/rss2.html en-us nos.web@noaa.gov NOAA Logo http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/benthic.html The term benthic refers to anything associated with or occurring on the bottom of a body of water. The animals and plants that live on or in the bottom are known as the benthos. Policy makers, scientists, and researchers use benthic maps to make informed decisions that help protect the nation’s fragile shallow-water coastal areas. Wed, 10 Dec 2008 13:40:33 EST troy.kitch@noaa.gov http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/mpa.html Marine protected areas (MPAs) in the U.S. come in a variety of forms and are established and managed by all levels of government. MPAs may be established to protect ecosystems, preserve cultural resources such as shipwrecks and archaeological sites, or sustain fisheries production. Wed, 10 Dec 2008 13:39:33 EST troy.kitch@noaa.gov http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/marine_debris.html It's a big problem. Marine debris injures and kills marine life, interferes with navigation safety, and poses a threat to human health. Wed, 10 Dec 2008 13:38:32 EST troy.kitch@noaa.gov http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/whysalty.html This article explains where all the salt comes from. By some estimates, if the salt in the ocean could be removed and spread evenly over the Earth’s land surface it would form a layer more than 166 meters (500 feet) thick, about the height of a 40-story office building Wed, 10 Dec 2008 13:36:50 EST troy.kitch@noaa.gov http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/why_oceans.html Most scientists agree that the atmosphere and the oceans accumulated gradually over millions and millions of years with the continual ‘degassing’ of the Earth’s interior. Wed, 10 Dec 2008 13:34:50 EST troy.kitch@noaa.gov http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/oceanwater_amount.html It's hard to imagine, but an astounding 97 percent of the Earth's water can be found in our oceans. Of the tiny percentage that's not in the ocean, about two percent is frozen up in glaciers and ice caps ... [select link to learn more] Sun, 16 Nov 2008 18:58:13 EST troy.kitch@noaa.gov http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/sealevel.html There is strong evidence that global sea level is rising at an increased rate and will continue to rise during this century ... [select link to learn more] Sun, 16 Nov 2008 18:57:30 EST troy.kitch@noaa.gov http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/midoceanridge.html The longest mountain range on Earth is called the mid-ocean ridge. Spanning 65,000 kilometers (40,389 miles) around the globe, it's truly a global landmark ... [select link to learn more] Sun, 16 Nov 2008 18:56:10 EST Troy.kitch@noaa.gov http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/why_habs.html Harmful algal blooms (HABs) occur when colonies of algae—simple ocean plants that live in the sea—grow out of control while producing toxic or harmful effects on people, fish, shellfish, marine mammals and birds ... [select link to learn more] Sun, 16 Nov 2008 18:55:29 EST Troy.kitch@noaa.gov http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/redtide.html Harmful algal blooms, or HABs, occur when colonies of algae—simple ocean plants that live in the sea—grow out of control while producing toxic or harmful effects on people, fish, shellfish, marine mammals and birds ... [select link to learn more] Sun, 16 Nov 2008 18:54:48 EST Troy.kitch@noaa.gov http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/hydrography.html Hydrography is the science that deals with the measurement and description of the physical features of bodies of water and the land areas that are affected by those bodies of water ... [select link to learn more] Sun, 16 Nov 2008 18:54:08 EST Troy.kitch@noaa.gov http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/chart_map.html A nautical chart provides a very detailed and accurate representation of the coastline. A map emphasizes land forms, with shoreline represented much less accurately ... [select link to learn more] Sun, 16 Nov 2008 18:53:31 EST Troy.kitch@noaa.gov http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/nautical_chart.html A nautical chart is one of the most fundamental tools available to the mariner. It's a graphic portrayal of the marine environment showing the nature and form of the coast ... [select link to learn more] Sun, 16 Nov 2008 18:52:24 EST Troy.kitch@noaa.gov http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/coral_species.html Coral reefs are home to millions of species. Hidden beneath the ocean waters, coral reefs teem with life. Fish, corals, lobsters, clams, seahorses, sponges, and sea turtles are only a few of the thousands of creatures that rely on reefs for their survival ... [select link to learn more] Sun, 16 Nov 2008 18:51:18 EST Troy.kitch@noaa.gov http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/coral_protect.html The coral reef structure buffers shorelines against waves, storms and floods, helping to prevent loss of life, property damage and erosion ... [select link to learn more] Sun, 16 Nov 2008 18:50:34 EST Troy.kitch@noaa.gov http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/coral_economy.html Healthy coral reefs support commercial and subsistence fisheries as well as jobs and businesses through tourism and recreation. Approximately half of all federally managed fisheries depend on coral reefs ... [select link to learn more] Sun, 16 Nov 2008 18:49:35 EST Troy.kitch@noaa.gov http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/coral_medicine.html Coral reefs are sometimes considered the medicine cabinets of the 21st century. Coral reef plants and animals are important sources of new medicines being developed to treat cancer, arthritis, human bacterial infections, Alzheimer’s disease, Sun, 16 Nov 2008 18:48:38 EST Troy.kitch@noaa.gov http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/pollution.html Eighty percent of pollution to the marine environment comes from the land. One of the biggest sources is called nonpoint source pollution, which occurs as a result of runoff ... [select link to learn more] Sun, 16 Nov 2008 18:47:50 EST Troy.kitch@noaa.gov http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/oceaneconomy.html The U.S. economy is very dependent on the health of the ocean. Through the fishing and boating industry, tourism and recreation, and ocean transport, one out of six jobs in the U.S. is marine-related ... [select link to learn more] Sun, 16 Nov 2008 18:46:54 EST Troy.kitch@noaa.gov http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/ocean_weather.html The ocean plays an important role in shaping our climate and weather patterns. Warm ocean waters provide the energy to fuel storm systems that provide fresh water vital to all living things ... [select link to learn more] Sun, 16 Nov 2008 18:45:41 EST Troy.kitch@noaa.gov http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/sound.html Some people may think that because it is easier to hear in air than in water, then sound must travel faster in air. Actually, sound travels five times faster in water than in air ... [select link to learn more] Sun, 16 Nov 2008 18:44:47 EST Troy.kitch@noaa.gov http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/light_travel.html Sunlight entering the water can only travel about 1,000 meters (3,280 feet) into the ocean. The ocean is divided into three zones based on depth and light level ... [select link to learn more] Sun, 16 Nov 2008 18:44:04 EST Troy.kitch@noaa.gov http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/estuary.html Estuaries and their surrounding wetlands are bodies of water usually found where rivers meet the sea. Estuaries are home to unique plant and animal communities that have adapted to brackish water ... [select link to learn more] Sun, 16 Nov 2008 18:42:55 EST Troy.kitch@noaa.gov http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/tidescurrents.html Tides are driven by the gravitational force of the moon and sun. Tides are characterized by water moving up and down over a long period of time. When used in association with water, the term "current" describes the motion of the water ... [select link to learn more] Sun, 16 Nov 2008 18:41:56 EST Troy.kitch@noaa.gov http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/oceandepth.html The average depth of the ocean is about 4,267 meters (14,000 feet). The deepest part of the ocean is called the Challenger Deep ... [select link to learn more] Sun, 16 Nov 2008 18:39:01 EST Troy.kitch@noaa.gov http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/oceanblue.html The ocean is blue because water absorbs colors in the red part of the light spectrum ... [select link to learn more] Fri, 07 Nov 2008 15:49:56 EST troy.kitch@noaa.gov