Grand challenges in physical oceanography

摘要

Physical oceanography is a relatively young scientific branch, in comparison with marine biologyor other oceanographic disciplines, and with most physics disciplines. However, because ofimportance for fisheries and trading, surface ocean physics on currents and waves has beeninvestigated for over centuries. It was largely applied science; a lot of fundamental science on theocean interior is probably still ahead of us. This may have to do with the ocean’s inaccessibility formankind. Some challenges are given here, based on a biased diagnosis of present-day shortcomingsin physical oceanography research.