Our Goals for this class are:
Provide the student with an understanding of how oceanographers measure present ocean conditions
Understand the principles of and be able to determine latitude and longitude
To be able to read NOAA’s computer generated Sea Surface Temperature maps and the contours of isotherms and gather data from them
Understand the differences between “normal” ocean conditions and present “real-time” ocean conditions
Compare the data and map the anomalies (differences) in color to produce monthly maps exposing the El-Niño event
Follow the development of the 1997-98 El-Niño event, learning how it occurs, its impact on ocean conditions, and subsequent effects on marine food chains