Aquatic Geochemical Oceanography

by James W. Murray

Overview

Aquatic Geochemical Oceanography provides a comprehensive review of the quantitative study of the geochemistry of the ocean. It outlines the basic principles of aquatic chemistry, with instruction and tools to develop an in-depth understanding of the distribution of elements and compounds in the ocean and how they transform based on their fundamental chemical properties. Geochemical oceanography includes processes that occur on a wide range of spatial and temporal scales; from global to regional to local to microscopic spatial dimensions and time scales from geological epochs to glacial-interglacial to millennial, decadal, interannual, seasonal, diurnal and all the way to microseconds. Emphasis has been placed on trace elements, the carbonate system, gases and oxidation-reduction environments.

Geochemical oceanography will continue to be an exciting, dynamic and vibrant field as the earth's population deals with the effects of the increase in fossil fuel CO₂ and other anthropogenic trace gases causing global warming and ocean acidification. Students of this material will obtain the core marine chemical skillset and familiarity with current research topics to address the key questions in addressing global change, preparing them for a diverse range of future career paths.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780198815488
Publisher:	Oxford University Press
Publication date:	07/08/2025
Pages:	816
Product dimensions:	6.50(w) x 1.50(h) x 9.50(d)

About the Author

James W. Murray, Professor Emeritus, School of Oceanography, University of Washington, Seattle

James W. Murray, PhD, is Professor Emeritus at the University of Washington, Seattle, where he has taught courses in the School of Oceanography on aquatic and chemical oceanography since 1973. He obtained his Ph.D. in Chemical Oceanography from the MIT/WHOI Joint Program in 1973. He was Founding Director of the UW Program on Climate Change in 2001 and is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the American Geophysical Union.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction2. Overview of Ocean Distributions and Circulation3. Mass Balance: The Cornerstone of Chemical Oceanography4. Properties of Water and Seawater5. Chemical Equilibrium6. Activity Scales and Activity Corrections7. Major Components, Salinity, and Density of Seawater8. Major Macronutrients9. Marine Trace Element Biogeochemistry10. Trace Element Distributions and Controlling Processes in the Ocean11. Ocean Carbonate Chemistry: Reactions and Calculations12. Ocean Carbonate Distributions13. Gases and Gas Exchange14. Oxidation-Reduction Reactions15. Oxidation-Reduction (Redox) Environments16. What Controls the Composition of River Water and Seawater: Equilibrium versus Kinetic Ocean17. Global Ocean Cycles of Mg, Si, P, N, C, O₂, and Fe

Editorial Reviews

"Ocean chemistry for the 21st century. Based on 45 years of teaching this book takes the field well beyond traditional equilibrium models and uses new and important results from tracer geochemistry, and novel experiments, to shed light on the critical rate processes at ocean boundaries. Newly introduced here is the molecular structure of sea water, thus providing insight into the molecular basis for many of the bulk property coefficients for sea water that are now commonly used." — Peter G. Brewer, Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute

"Murray offers distinctive insights into the pathways of chemical elements and their compounds in the ocean, rooted in fundamental understanding of seawater physical chemistry. The comprehensive book spans from classical to cutting-edge topics, making it an essential textbook for both undergraduate and graduate students." — Kitack Lee, Pohang University of Science and Technology

"An advanced understanding of aquatic chemistry has never been more important. This book provides an excellent combination of fundamental knowledge required for any aquatic geochemist, and applied problems that allow students to employ their understanding in a quantitative framework. The introductory chapters set the stage for the interdisciplinary nature of geochemistry, while the subsequent chapters provide a detailed description of key aspects of aquatic chemistry. The chapter on trace metals is particularly valuable, as no oceanography textbook to date has incorporated the vast knowledge afforded by the GEOTRACES program." — Randelle Bundy, University of Washington

From the Publisher