A first impression
5
Figure 1.1. Ocean bathymetry as plotted from the ETOPO5 global bathymetry dataset; the color
scale below indicates the depth below sea level.
Characteristic
Value
Average radius
6.37 × 10 6 m
Angular velocity
7.5 × 10 −5 s −1
Total volume
1.37 × 10 9 km 3
Total mass
5.97 × 10 24 kg
Total surface area
5.10 × 10 14 m 2
Ocean surface area 3.61 × 10 14 m 2
Mean ocean depth
3.8 × 10 3 m
Mean land elevation
8.4 × 10 2 m
Table 1.1. Some characteristic properties of the Earth relevant for physical oceanography.
and the volume of seawater is about 14 × 10 8 km 3 . In the Northern Hemisphere
about 60% of the surface is ocean and 40% is land. In the Southern Hemisphere
5
Figure 1.1. Ocean bathymetry as plotted from the ETOPO5 global bathymetry dataset; the color
scale below indicates the depth below sea level.
Characteristic
Value
Average radius
6.37 × 10 6 m
Angular velocity
7.5 × 10 −5 s −1
Total volume
1.37 × 10 9 km 3
Total mass
5.97 × 10 24 kg
Total surface area
5.10 × 10 14 m 2
Ocean surface area 3.61 × 10 14 m 2
Mean ocean depth
3.8 × 10 3 m
Mean land elevation
8.4 × 10 2 m
Table 1.1. Some characteristic properties of the Earth relevant for physical oceanography.
and the volume of seawater is about 14 × 10 8 km 3 . In the Northern Hemisphere
about 60% of the surface is ocean and 40% is land. In the Southern Hemisphere