Editing Oceanography (section)

===Physical oceanography===
{{Main|Physical oceanography}}
Physical oceanography studies the ocean's physical attributes including temperature-salinity structure, mixing, [[ocean surface wave|surface waves]], internal waves, surface [[tide]]s, [[internal tides]], and [[ocean current|currents]]. The following are central topics investigated by physical oceanography.

====Seismic Oceanography====
{{Main|Seismic Oceanography}}

====Ocean currents====
{{Further|Ocean current}}
Since the early ocean expeditions in oceanography, a major interest was the study of ocean currents and temperature measurements. The [[tides]], the [[Coriolis effect]], changes in direction and strength of [[wind]], salinity, and temperature are the main factors determining ocean currents. The [[thermohaline circulation]] (THC) (''thermo-'' referring to [[temperature]] and ''-haline'' referring to [[salinity|salt content]]) connects the ocean basins and is primarily dependent on the [[Water (molecule)#Density of saltwater and ice|density of sea water]]. It is becoming more common to refer to this system as the 'meridional overturning circulation' because it more accurately accounts for other driving factors beyond temperature and salinity. 
*Examples of sustained currents are the [[Gulf Stream]] and the [[Kuroshio Current]] which are [[wind]]-driven [[western boundary currents]].

====Ocean heat content====
[[File:Oceans of Climate Change.ogv|thumbnail|right|[https://climate.nasa.gov/climate_reel/OceansClimateChange640360 Oceans of Climate Change] NASA]]
{{Further|Oceanic heat content}}
[[Oceanic heat content]] (OHC) refers to the extra heat stored in the ocean from changes in [[Earth's energy balance]]. The increase in the ocean heat play an important role in [[sea level rise]], because of [[thermal expansion]]. [[Ocean warming]] accounts for 90% of the energy accumulation associated with [[global warming]] since 1971.<ref>{{cite report |author= IPCC|author-link= Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change|date= 2013|title= Climate Change 2013: The Physical Science Basis|url= http://www.ipcc.ch/pdf/assessment-report/ar5/wg1/WG1AR5_SPM_FINAL.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141029034929/https://www.ipcc.ch/pdf/assessment-report/ar5/wg1/WG1AR5_SPM_FINAL.pdf |archive-date=2014-10-29 |url-status=live|publisher= [[Cambridge University Press]]|page= 8}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://news.ucar.edu/132773/2020-was-record-breaking-year-ocean-heat |title=2020 was a record-breaking year for ocean heat - Warmer ocean waters contribute to sea level rise and strengthen storms |date=2021-01-13 |author=Laura Snider |publisher=[[National Center for Atmospheric Research]]}}</ref>