Open AccessNew Indian Ocean Program Builds on a Scientific Legacy
Author(s) -
Hood Raleigh R.,
McPhaden Michael J.,
Urban Ed
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
eos, transactions american geophysical union
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.316
H-Index - 86
eISSN - 2324-9250
pISSN - 0096-3941
DOI - 10.1002/2014eo390001
Subject(s) - continental drift , plate tectonics , oceanography , ocean current , atmosphere (unit) , marine geology , earth science , geology , indian ocean , tectonics , deep sea , geography , geophysics , meteorology , paleontology
Prior to the International Geophysical Year (1957–1958) and before the acceptance of ideas about continental drift and the emergence of the theory of plate tectonics, the Indian Ocean was viewed as one of the last great frontiers of Earth exploration. During this post–World War II era, many new technologies were emerging for sampling the ocean and atmosphere and for mapping deep‐ocean topography. Yet fundamental descriptive work still remained to be done on oceanic and atmospheric circulation, marine geology, and biological and ecological variability in the Indian Ocean.