This is a course for first year graduate students majoring in earth/ocean science as well as undergraduate junior and senior with basic chemistry background.
The course focuses on the ocean’s role in the global biogeochemical cycling of elements. The impact of humans on the transport of elements within these cycles is giving special attention. Basic ocean chemistry is first given and discussed. The concept of global geochemical cycle is giving based on water/rock interaction. Nutrients and trace metal cycling is discussed based on the perspective of redox reactions, with special emphasis of biologically mediated oxidation of organic matter. Steady state models are used to explain their global oceanic distribution. Sediment’s role over ocean chemical composition is discussed from both equilibrium and kinetic perspectives. Marine chemistry of radioactive and stable isotopes are also discussed. This course includes a number of basic concepts of ocean chemistry for the young marine scientists. Students will be guided through and looking at the ocean chemistry from a global perspective.
No prerequisite is required, however, basic chemistry 101 is preferable.