Assignment: Oceanography Places

Goals

For this assignment, you will choose an interesting place on Earth and describe the unique oceanographic characteristics of that location. This assignment provides an opportunity for you to explore a location in depth and an opportunity for your instructor to assess your ability to research and communicate about a scientific concept.

The Writing Assignment

For this assignment, you will choose one of the locations listed at the end of this document and prepare a wellresearched, well-written, detailed (750-1000 words) oceanographic description of that place. You will provide a detailed description that covers the oceanographic details of the location, including a map and other relevant imagery. You may decide what you should include, but all of your content must be scientific and geologic in nature. You should not discuss travel, tourism, or history of the area unless it relates directly to the oceanography of that location.

Your descriptions should give a thorough overview of the location. You may decide how best to do this, but your essay should be informative, and contain subheadings for each of your major topics. Consider discussing the following:

• geographic location
• tectonic setting
• geologic history
• rocks and sediments
• characteristics of waves
• weather and climate
• characteristics of tides
• currents of the area
• marine life
• characteristics of the coast
• local oceanic resources
• pollution concerns
• natural and man-made threats
• marine protected areas.