Descriptive physical oceanography: An introduction

by George L Pickard

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• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0080238254
• ISBN13: 9780080238258
• Release Date: January 1979
• Publisher: Pergamon Press
• Length: 233 Pages
• Weight: 0.25 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Descriptive 101: Drab but Loaded with Content

Pickard & Emery (1990) is a textbook suitable for use in college courses at any level without prerequisites. It is purely descriptive, without any pretense of touching on dynamics. It excels as the first text in a two-course sequence offering descriptive, then dynamic physical oceanography. Satellite photographs reveal descriptive physical oceanography as a changing form of modern art. Realizing this might suggest dressing up the humble appearance of Pickard & Emery (1990) with an array of new, large and colorful illustrations. This could be a mistake. It could risk raising the book's price if the present content remains. It also could risk watering down the present content to make room for new illustrations while keeping the price under control. Anyone who thinks dynamics replaces the Pickard & Emery (1990) approach is wrong. The oceans keep changing all scales of time and space. This suggests needs for monitoring will cause descriptive physical oceanography to always be important. Humans continue to overpopulate two thirds of the world. This speeds up ocean degradation, making monitoring even more important in the future. Pickard & Emery (1990) excels as a compact reference book independent of courses. Its audience in this role includes anyone interested in ocean water mass characteristics and movements. I believe Pickard & Emery (1990) misses two opportunities to be more effective. First, it fails to stress evidence (some of it shocking) the oceans are changing and in desperate need of improved monitoring. Second, it fails to direct users to sources of dramatic visual aids for on-screen use or projection. To compare Pickard & Emery (1990) with other physical oceanography textbooks, see my reviews of Introduction to Physical Oceanography by Knauss (2005), Introduction to Physical Oceanography by Mellor (2008) and Introductory Dynamical Oceanography, Second Edition by Pickard and Pond (1983).

Excellent text book

This text supplements our lab very well, its a great book that will come in handy after class.

good PO text

Good book, however I found its pair Dynamical Oceanography by Pond to be more helpful and informative.