MyOcean

Physical Oceanography Research – Coastal and Estuarine Processes

Image captured by MODIS sensor on NASA's Terra and Aqua satellites on July 19, 2003.

Polluted runoff and sewage, overfishing, and even global climate change, are affecting these regions far more rapidly and extensively than the deep sea, threatening marine ecosystems, human health, and sustainable fisheries. Physical oceanographers study the physics of circulation and transport processes unique to coastal and estuarine environments.