GEOGRAPHY OPTIONALS

What is dredging?
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Dredging is the act of removing silt and other material from the bottom of
bodies of water
It is a routine necessity in waterways around the world because sedimentationthe natural process of sand and silt washing
downstreamgradually fills channels and harbors.

Vessels require a certain amount of water in order to float and not touch bottom. This

water depth continues to

increase over time as larger and larger ships are deployed. Since massive ships carry the bulk of the goods imported into
the country, dredging plays a vital role in the nation's economy.

Dredging is also performed to reduce the exposure of fish, wildlife, and people to contaminants and to prevent the spread of
contaminants to other areas of the water body. This environmental dredging is often necessary because sediments in and
around cities and industrial areas are frequently contaminated with a variety of pollutants.

The disposal of dredged material is managed and carried out by federal, state, and local governments, as well as by private
entities such as port authorities.

What is an environmental sensitivity

index map?
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An environmental sensitivity index map provides a concise summary of

coastal resources that could be at risk in the event of an oil spill.

This information is used in planning to create cleanup strategies before an accident occurs so that authorities are prepared
to take action in the event of such a spill. Advance planning reduces the harmful consequences of oil spills and cleanup.

Helps to set priorities.

ESI maps have many features that make them great tools for spill response teams. The maps are created using geographic
information system (GIS) techniques in order to present regional maps with data on biological and human resources in an
area, as well as information on sensitive shorelines.

What is ghostfishing?
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It is the abandoned fishing net.

Fish get accidently caught in it and die.

Biggest source of ocean pollution

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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. Nonpoint source pollution includes many small sources, like septic tanks,
cars, trucks, and boats, plus larger sources, such as farms, ranches, and forest areas. Millions of motor vehicle engines drop
small amounts of oil each day onto roads and parking lots. Much of this, too, makes its way to the sea.

What is a bight?
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A bight is a long, gradual bend or recess in the shoreline that forms

a large, open bay.
Bights are shallow and may pose hazards to navigation, so their depths, in addition to any submerged features like sand
bars and rock formations, are clearly marked onnautical charts.

One of the world's largest bights is the Great Australian Bight on the continent's southern coast.

How is bathymetric data used?

Bathymetric data, which includes information about the depths and shapes of underwater terrain, has a range of uses:

Accurate bathymetry is the foundation for much of ocean

science and policy.

Nautical charts are based on data acquired during bathymetric surveys. These charts guide mariners much as road maps guide
motorists, ensuring safe and efficient maritime transportation.

Bathymetric maps are increasingly important as scientists learn more about the effects of climate change on the environment.
Bathymetric surveys can alert scientists to ongoing and potential beach erosion, sea-level rise, and subsidence (land sinking).
Scientists also use bathymetric data to create hydrodynamic models.

Bathymetry is a key element of biological oceanography. The depth and characteristics of the seabed define the habitat for benthic
(bottom-dwelling) organisms, and are fundamental parameters of marine ecosystems. Scientists use high-resolution bathymetry to
help determine where fish and other sea life will feed, live, and breed.

Sonar, short for Sound Navigation and Ranging, is helpful for exploring and mapping the ocean because sound waves travel farther in the
water than do radar and light waves. NOAA scientists primarily use sonar to develop nautical charts, locate underwater hazards to
navigation, search for and map objects on the sea floor such as shipwrecks, and map the sea floor itself. There are two types of sonar
active and passive.

A "red tide" is a common term used for a harmful algal bloom.

What is a nautical chart?

Nautical charts are key to safe navigation.

It is a map that depicts the configuration of the shoreline and seafloor. It provides water depths, locations of dangers to
navigation, locations and characteristics of aids to navigation, anchorages, and other features.

Mariners use charts to plan voyages and navigate ships safely and economically.
The term map, on the other hand, emphasizes landforms and encompasses various geographic and cartographic products.
Some examples of maps might be road maps or atlases, or city plans. A map usually represents topographical information

A chart is used by mariners to plot courses through open bodies of water as well as in highly trafficked areas. Because of its
critical importance in promoting safe navigation, the nautical chart has a certain level of legal standing and authority. A map,
on the other hand, is a reference guide showing predetermined routes like roads and highways.

Thermocline
Bodies of water are made up of layers, determined by temperature. The top surface layer is called the epipelagic zone, and is sometimes
referred to as the "ocean skin" or "sunlight zone."
In the ocean, the depth and strength of the thermocline vary from season to season and year to year. It is semi-permanent in the tropics,
variable in temperate regions (often deepest during the summer), and shallow to nonexistent in the polar regions, Thermoclines also play a
role in meteorological forecasting. For example, hurricane forecasters must consider not just the temperature of the ocean's skin (the sea
surface temperature), but also the depth of warm water above the thermocline. Water vapor evaporated from the ocean is a hurricane's
primary fuel. The depth of the thermocline is the measure of the size of the "fuel tank" and helps to predict the risk of hurricane formation.

What is a seiche?
A seiche is a standing wave oscillating in a body of water.

Seiches are typically caused when strong winds and rapid changes in atmospheric pressure push water from one end of a
body of water to the other. When the wind stops, the water rebounds to the other side of the enclosed area. The water then

continues to oscillate back and forth for hours or even days. In a similar fashion, earthquakes, tsunamis, or severe storm
fronts may also cause seiches along ocean shelves and ocean harbors.