While it's a broad field, there are sub-disciplines within oceanography that focus specifically on the ocean's movements and processes:
* Physical oceanography: This focuses on the physical properties and movements of the ocean, including waves, currents, tides, and the mixing of water masses.
* Marine geology: This studies the geology of the ocean floor, including the formation of seafloor features, plate tectonics, and the distribution of marine sediments.
* Marine geophysics: This uses geophysical methods to study the ocean floor and the Earth's interior beneath the oceans.
* Biological oceanography: This focuses on the living organisms within the ocean, including their interactions with the environment and each other.
* Chemical oceanography: This studies the chemical composition of the ocean, including the distribution of elements, nutrients, and pollutants.
So, while oceanography encompasses all these disciplines, the dynamics of the ocean are primarily studied within physical oceanography.
