Until the 1980s, a tacit agreement among many physical oceanographers was that nothing deserving attention could be found in the upper few meters of the ocean. The lack of adequete knowledge about the near-surface layer of the ocean was mainly due to the fact that the widely used oceanographic instruments (such as bathythermographs, CTDs, current meters, etc.) were practically useless in the upper few meters of the ocean. Interest in the ne- surface layer of the ocean rapidly increased along with the development of remote sensing techniques. The interpretation of ocean surface signals sensed from satellites demanded thorough knowledge of upper ocean processes and their connection to the ocean interior. Despite its accessibility to the investigator, the near-surface layer of the ocean is not a simple subject of experimental study. Random, sometimes huge, vertical motions of the ocean surface due to surface waves are a serious complication for collecting quality data close to the ocean surface. The supposedly minor problem of avoiding disturbances from ships’ wakes has frustrated several generations of oceanographers attempting to take reliable data from the upper few meters of the ocean. Important practical applications nevertheless demanded action, and as a result several pioneering works in the 1970s and 1980s laid the foundation for the new subject of oceanography – the near-surface layer of the ocean.

Until the 1980s, a tacit agreement among many physical oceanographers was that nothing deserving attention could be found in the upper few meters of the ocean. The lack of adequete knowledge about the near-surface layer of the ocean was mainly due to the fact that the widely used oceanographic instruments (such as bathythermographs, CTDs, current meters, etc.) were practically useless in the upper few meters of the ocean. Interest in the ne- surface layer of the ocean rapidly increased along with the development of remote sensing techniques. The interpretation of ocean surface signals sensed from satellites demanded thorough knowledge of upper ocean processes and their connection to the ocean interior. Despite its accessibility to the investigator, the near-surface layer of the ocean is not a simple subject of experimental study. Random, sometimes huge, vertical motions of the ocean surface due to surface waves are a serious complication for collecting quality data close to the ocean surface. The supposedly minor problem of avoiding disturbances from ships’ wakes has frustrated several generations of oceanographers attempting to take reliable data from the upper few meters of the ocean. Important practical applications nevertheless demanded action, and as a result several pioneering works in the 1970s and 1980s laid the foundation for the new subject of oceanography – the near-surface layer of the ocean.

This book treats the structure and variability of basic physical fields in a thin near-surface layer which responds quickly to all short-term and local fluctuations of atmospheric forcing and of radiative solar energy flux. The book contains up-to-date information on different phenomena and processes in this layer based on research conducted over t

Ocean Mixing: Drivers, Mechanisms and Impacts presents a broad panorama of one of the most rapidly-developing areas of marine science. It highlights the state-of-the-art concerning knowledge of the causes of ocean mixing, and a perspective on the implications for ocean circulation, climate, biogeochemistry and the marine ecosystem. This edited volume places a particular emphasis on elucidating the key future questions relating to ocean mixing, and emerging ideas and activities to address them, including innovative technology developments and advances in methodology. Ocean Mixing is a key reference for those entering the field, and for those seeking a comprehensive overview of how the key current issues are being addressed and what the priorities for future research are. Each chapter is written by established leaders in ocean mixing research; the volume is thus suitable for those seeking specific detailed information on sub-topics, as well as those seeking a broad synopsis of current understanding. It provides useful ammunition for those pursuing funding for specific future research campaigns, by being an authoritative source concerning key scientific goals in the short, medium and long term. Additionally, the chapters contain bespoke and informative graphics that can be used in teaching and science communication to convey the complex concepts and phenomena in easily accessible ways. - Presents a coherent overview of the state-of-the-art research concerning ocean mixing - Provides an in-depth discussion of how ocean mixing impacts all scales of the planetary system - Includes elucidation of the grand challenges in ocean mixing, and how they might be addressed

Thorough review of sea-surface microlayer properties and role in global change.

Philip Mladenov provides a comprehensive overview of marine biology, providing a tour of marine life and marine processes that ranges from the polar oceans to tropical coral reefs; and from the intertidal to the hydrothermal vents of the deep sea.

Four years have elapsed since the preparation of the original Russian version of this book. This is a long time when dealing with such actively expanding fields of oceanography as research into small-scale structures and the investigation of hydro physical processes. Over this period new quick-response devices have been developed and successfully used for measurements taken in various ocean areas. Improvements in high-frequency meters used to measure hydrophysical parameters has enabled workers to obtain more accurate absolute values of the fluctuations measured by such devices. In view of this scientific progress, some of the ideas presented in this book now require additional explanation. Great care should be used in dealing with the absolute fluctuation values of hydro physical fields, since the methods used for the determination of the accuracy of the high-frequency measuring devices have been imperfect in the past. Never theless, it would appear that the results of the investigations summarized in this book have not lost their importance, and that the established laws governing small-scale pro cesses in the ocean are of a sufficiently universal nature and, as such, have not been shattered with the qualitative and quantitative advances in devices used for measurements taken in oceans. The authors feel that their work is of interest to English-speaking readers. The appearance of the English translation of the book is, to a very large extent, due to the tremendous amount of editing work brilliantly done by Prof. H. Tennekes.