The
recent Japanese quake -- and especially tsunami -- reinforce that Earth's
Ocean is quite important and powerful. Therefore, understanding and mapping is key. For starters, here's NOAA's map of large underwater features...
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQsYDR62JX87Een0FvFaGycfPQ_3uVwd1oZ4osfGfNe459XG5pMhwgUWrzQW2Bso3AEifG-I_ZmFvDUzhe3WtMyEBcT9fd7xQm24VWQ6NucT72jil5gpShL6oFvz4dMvwUr0jlDqodkXY/s400/800px-Ocean_gravity_map.gif)
This ocean floor is fundamentally composed of
tectonic plates, which sometimes make
sudden moves...
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJQWGWFA8BuNBGd8nQnDY0jTbj2HtFHg7etV2GyV2nZkwNlD5A-3U7aj7l2d43Q3QMfX8Yo-BcFQQeyL90z1Td6G0ZuY86N4KhFHFChJJ4gzbLbxWi_mDTXDoxq4yp21t86GpolFbRofk/s400/800px-Plates_tect2_en.svg.png)
The water's not uniform, of course, and has different temperatures and flows. Here's the summary path of
Thermohaline Circulation -- a.k.a. the Great Ocean Conveyor -- with blue representing deep-water currents, red representing surface currents...
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPr8ngj1Lxilk9dvk8BJQkW83P7NKnuHWulTi2JHYBfcAcgyY6T1ZdQSbpTCLSUNKqZzYYthRK5fH9jEhnVQ78a_WgbuvEehKpEXiOQwNMdJw_D4o119cW9XZdkYU_QMxcQkbVQ4C-Lmw/s400/800px-Thermohaline_Circulation_2.png)
Surface
Oceanic Circulation Patterns influence trade and weather alike, with East Coasts tending towards warm ocean currents and West Coasts dominated by cold ocean currents...
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2VrfdQHwagCtSzauDVZeX9jhdNnOyZ87_bZtG0dLSMyPp76tazoz6BgUXXXK6qT4381ZIt7oPWYMT3M3W-BaZaa4xrOnDnQ-AX6w4vHnzQ9NA2K3i2VegXpLPD-gkMh9V7_hffC_NZk0/s400/06j_ocean_currents_map.gif)
Sea Surface Temperatures (SST) in normal years shows cold water upwelling in the boxed areas, a source of nutrients which enables rich coastal fisheries...
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSMB2vj11UKw0_GW6YWMBXcy0Wgg8qXG4KDrhmP7hKiyI06NGQYDuGTxQ6I5X-aFlhlWWzoLIxDyu7gUQAeUKGTIjjUyxp_xoCtQ2EEhRFsPIWMURZt4KTXyJ7E2-ZYUSWVdMbprqmqps/s400/SST_GlobalMap_2001.jpg)
But this February 2010 image shows an
El Niño year where coastal upwelling slows considerably -- note here off Peru -- meaning nutrient flux drops, plankton plummet, and thus fishing yields collapse...
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhM-TSr5fGuTlZky4W8lw6c4B6qjkvTJRdXtc7HQsbSEJLt1ppM-zwiB3mSZTFUccA9LfiDM4gTvmLuhrm6K6MboRJKHyrBXMHBQVcz5e6etH_G1gPzir4lqUpKBqAgdmqfUgPQxHcRqE/s400/gl_sst.png)
These surface patterns combine with atmospheric dynamics to source powerful
cyclonic Typhoons worldwide...
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTGEGbdsDKJYVQPAZazGk7G9lBQCANZNIEPOouU04sf-n1_kyG8mjBAV7YLKwcHmiYHpBEQ2LgxxydwsO_Hycv4jUIq6JoBCXRqUp4OUYbi3IfrGvohKUa5tHa6DdX0ZKZpxYQx9GTuQo/s400/800px-Global_tropical_cyclone_tracks-edit2.jpg)
Marine species are widely but unevenly distributed around the world’s coastlines...
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj78fydBGd73vNqLB06Fng3sZiy4zidcfl6M4EgUoss0_KePX8qcyD_Go4uuc_f6R54EiPyJEJagxQBu1H74BmbViZUMpsTbN7C5RXBiNRC9eRGBd_ZHESVG0-G6se-uCqOgq7dxZTYdf8/s400/3Nov-Fish-BWorm-Heatmap-small.jpg)
The contest over these riches continues, with the
Law of the Sea enabling nation-states to claim
Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ) reaching 200 nautical miles (370 kilometers) out from coastline...
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz1N2zUWpYSkwJBPDg777hpQpFFPK3TCy6wKS-tshsI4pJfGQQCYFcRQ88F33FbeY8wvqB29FBxiKHXCk63KVWUwAtdz8APyCmtNVOZLv6tmJKIt4IuCsMwRHKE4vIMIcp7mvJ8jFDynU/s400/EEZ.png)
So it should be no surprise there's growing deep-sea fishing on seamounts and ridges including in the high seas...
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguE8CuE2uwubtylVjVHoFDLz7DHhIzuXWvSA_2HKNl2mycYUXx6RD0BFeFX0IcMnIJi-83UnarzkUsvXieEl9gYSDSsF1DVBqeuY5AdJc4YIuAMGQcPnbWnKIaMb99g98cSPfGVSPOXrU/s400/map_of_major_fisheries_on_seamounts_1_10980.jpg)
And, last but not least, the Ocean's a prime
mover of goods for us all!