'Descriptive Physical Oceanography: An Introduction' 5th edition provides an introduction to descriptive (synoptic) physical oceanography for science undergraduates and early graduate students. There has been an updating of topics such as the heat budget, instruments (particularly the use of satellites), a complete revision of the material on equatorial oceanography, sea-ice physics and distribution and El Nino and information has been added on thermohaline circulation, mixing nad coral reef oceanography.
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Editorial Reviews
Review
'... This is an excellent book, maintaining and improving on the high standard of previous editions..' Ocean Challenge 1991
'...the book is a bargain. I have owned a copy of the first edition since 1968; however I intend having a copy of the fourth edition for my personal collection; I recommend that others follow suit.'
Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
I have just finished teaching an introductory undergraduate survey course in physical oceanography using the new edition of Pickard's splendid book. Although I am not unprejudiced (since I have used the first edition for about four years), both editions have been a joy to use.'
'Any person wanting an introduction to the subject would do well to read this book.'
Choice
'...the book is a bargain. I have owned a copy of the first edition since 1968; however I intend having a copy of the fourth edition for my personal collection; I recommend that others follow suit.'
Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
I have just finished teaching an introductory undergraduate survey course in physical oceanography using the new edition of Pickard's splendid book. Although I am not unprejudiced (since I have used the first edition for about four years), both editions have been a joy to use.'
'Any person wanting an introduction to the subject would do well to read this book.'
Choice
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Descriptive 101: Drab but Loaded with Content,
This review is from: Descriptive Physical Oceanography, Fifth Edition (Paperback)
Pickard & Emery (1990) is a textbook suitable for use in college courses at any level without prerequisites. It is purely descriptive, without any pretense of touching on dynamics. It excels as the first text in a two-course sequence offering descriptive, then dynamic physical oceanography.
Satellite photographs reveal descriptive physical oceanography as a changing form of modern art. Realizing this might suggest dressing up the humble appearance of Pickard & Emery (1990) with an array of new, large and colorful illustrations. This could be a mistake. It could risk raising the book's price if the present content remains. It also could risk watering down the present content to make room for new illustrations while keeping the price under control. Anyone who thinks dynamics replaces the Pickard & Emery (1990) approach is wrong. The oceans keep changing all scales of time and space. This suggests needs for monitoring will cause descriptive physical oceanography to always be important. Humans continue to overpopulate two thirds of the world. This speeds up ocean degradation, making monitoring even more important in the future. Pickard & Emery (1990) excels as a compact reference book independent of courses. Its audience in this role includes anyone interested in ocean water mass characteristics and movements. I believe Pickard & Emery (1990) misses two opportunities to be more effective. First, it fails to stress evidence (some of it shocking) the oceans are changing and in desperate need of improved monitoring. Second, it fails to direct users to sources of dramatic visual aids for on-screen use or projection. To compare Pickard & Emery (1990) with other physical oceanography textbooks, see my reviews of Introduction to Physical Oceanography by Knauss (2005), Introduction to Physical Oceanography by Mellor (2008) and Introductory Dynamical Oceanography, Second Edition by Pickard and Pond (1983).
1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
good PO text,
By Kristen (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Descriptive Physical Oceanography, Fifth Edition (Paperback)
Good book, however I found its pair Dynamical Oceanography by Pond to be more helpful and informative.
0 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent text book,
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This review is from: Descriptive Physical Oceanography, Fifth Edition (Paperback)
This text supplements our lab very well, its a great book that will come in handy after class.
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Inside This Book
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First Sentence:
OCEANOGRAPHY is the general name given to the scientific study of the oceans, with an emphasis on their character as an environment. Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
water property distributions, geostrophic method, central water masses, equatorial current system, water mass characteristics, ocean water masses, descriptive oceanography, dynamical oceanography, brine cells, salinity minimum, oceanographic stations, salinity maximum, gyral circulations, descriptive physical oceanography, direct current measurements, equatorial undercurrent, practical salinity scale, sill depth, clear ocean water, geostrophic currents, thermocline zone, equatorial circulation, more saline water, dynamic oceanography, ocean eddies Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
North Atlantic, Gulf Stream, South Atlantic, Indian Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Southern Ocean, South Pacific, Black Sea, Arctic Sea, Labrador Sea, Antarctic Intermediate Water, Baffin Bay, South America, Canadian Basin, Florida Current, North America, Sargasso Sea, South Equatorial Current, Subtropical Convergence, Antarctic Circumpolar Current, Bering Sea, Greenland Sea, North Equatorial Current, Peru Current, East Greenland Current New!
Books on Related Topics | Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
OCEANOGRAPHY is the general name given to the scientific study of the oceans, with an emphasis on their character as an environment. Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
water property distributions, geostrophic method, central water masses, equatorial current system, water mass characteristics, ocean water masses, descriptive oceanography, dynamical oceanography, brine cells, salinity minimum, oceanographic stations, salinity maximum, gyral circulations, descriptive physical oceanography, direct current measurements, equatorial undercurrent, practical salinity scale, sill depth, clear ocean water, geostrophic currents, thermocline zone, equatorial circulation, more saline water, dynamic oceanography, ocean eddies Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
North Atlantic, Gulf Stream, South Atlantic, Indian Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Southern Ocean, South Pacific, Black Sea, Arctic Sea, Labrador Sea, Antarctic Intermediate Water, Baffin Bay, South America, Canadian Basin, Florida Current, North America, Sargasso Sea, South Equatorial Current, Subtropical Convergence, Antarctic Circumpolar Current, Bering Sea, Greenland Sea, North Equatorial Current, Peru Current, East Greenland Current New!
Books on Related Topics | Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Citations (learn more)
This book cites 34
books:
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11
books
cite this book:
See all 11 books citing this book
- Descriptive Regional Oceanography by P. Tchernia in Front Matter, page 171, and Back Matter
- Physical Oceanography (The Sea) by M. N. Hill in Back Matter (1), Back Matter (2), and Back Matter (3)
- Chemical Oceanography by Stephen P. Riley in Back Matter (1), and Back Matter (2)
- Methods of Satellite Oceanography (Scripps Studies in Earth and Ocean Sciences, Vol 1) by Robert H. Stewart on page 135, and Back Matter
- Submarine Geology by Francis Parker Shepard on page 5, and Back Matter
See all 34 books this book cites
- Ocean Circulation, Second Edition by Open University in Back Matter
- Science into Policy: Global Lessons from Antarctica by Paul Arthur Berkman in Back Matter
- Global Physical Climatology, Volume 56 (International Geophysics) by Dennis L. Hartmann in Back Matter
- Underwater Acoustic Modelling and Simulation, Third Edition by Paul C. Etter in Back Matter
- Principles of Ocean Physics (International Geophysics Series, Vol. 38) by John R. Apel on page 59
See all 11 books citing this book
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