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Oceanography has been defined as “The application of all sciences to the
study of the sea”.
Before the nineteen century, scientists with an interest in the sea were
few and far between. Certainly Newton considered some theoretical aspects of it
in his writings, but he was reluctant to go to sea to further his work.
For most people the sea was remote, and with the exception of early
intercontinental travelers or others who earned a living from the sea, there was
little reason to ask many questions about it, let alone to ask what lay beneath
the surface. The first time that question “What is at the bottom of the oceans?”
had tobe answered with any commercial consequence was when the laying of a
telegraph cable from Europe to America was proposed. The had to know the depth
profile(起伏形状)of the route to estimate the length of cable that had to be
manufactured.mote, and with the exception of early intercontinental travelers or
others who earned a living from the sea, there was little reason to ask many
questions about it, let alone to ask whatlay beneath the surface. The first time
that question “What is at the bottom of the oceans?” had to be answered with any
commercial consequence was when the laying of a telegraph cable from Europe to
America was proposed. The engineers had to know the depth profile(起伏形状)of the
route to estimate the length of cable that had to be manufactured.
It was to Maury of the US Navy that the Atlantic Telegraph Company turned,
in 1853, for information on this matter. In the 1840s, Maury had been
responsible for encouraging voyages during which soundings(测身) were taken to
investigate the depths of the North Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Later, some of
his findings aroused much popular interest in his book The Physical Geography of
the Sea.
The cable was laid, but not until 1866 was the connection made permanent
and reliable. At the early attempts, the cable failed and when it was taken out
for repairs it was found to be covered in living growths, afact which defied
contemporary scientific opinion that there was no life in the deeper parts of
the sea.
Within a few years oceanography was under way. In 1872 Thomson led a
scientific expedition(考察), which lasted for four years and brought home
thousands of samples from the sea. Their classification and analysis occupied
scientists for years and led to a five-volume report, the last volume being
published in 1895.
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发表于 2018-5-31 22:53:27