The Sea, Ideas and Observations on Progress in the Study of the Seas

Book excerpt: The Sea is a prestigious series with a history going back to the classic three volume treatise published by Wiley in 1962-63. Now, under the leadership of Allan Robinson, the series is again being extended with five new volumes currently planned that emphasizing the interaction of physical, chemical and biological oceanography. "Coastal Ocean Phenomena" is the first of these new volumes, and it deals with the general principles governing ocean phenomena in regions of shallower water near land. Processes such as tidal effects, global sea level changes, biological productivity, and sediment transport are analyzed. Models and methods are emphasized, including remote sensing, models of coastal ocean circulation, and data acquisition. Volume 10 presents the general principles, and volume 11 is organized geographically to presents the results of 35 of regional studies: Eastern North America, the Caribbean, the North Sea and Baltic, the Mediterranean Sea, and so forth. Volume 10 is a readable and systematic introduction to coastal oceanography that is suitable for use with college courses, while volume 11 is a much larger reference work. Note that volumes 10 and 11 are available together as a set (ISBN 0471-11543-6, tent $175.00.).