Father of Oceanography

Oceanography is defined as the branch of study related to all aspects of the globe’s oceans and seas. It includes the physical and chemical study of the oceans and sea and the living forms inhabiting them. Oceanography also deals with the wave current and tides. It is an important earth science that includes a wide range of topics such as tectonic plate study, wave current, ecosystem dynamics, the geology of the ocean floor, and various chemical and physical substances in them. It also included the study of temperature and the interaction between sea and ocean atmosphere. It also includes the study of the composition of seawater. 

Oceanography

Oceanography is the applied study of oceans and seas that consists of studying their physical, chemical, geological, meteorological, and biological characteristics. 

It is important today to study oceanography because of climate change, pollution, and other factors that are threatening the ocean and its life. Oceanography also includes the study of the ancient history of the oceans. 

Oceanography also covers the climate and the marine life of the ocean and covers the formation of the seafloor. Geological oceanography focuses on the ocean beds. Using technology like GPS, the seafloor and the other underwater features are mapped. This provides information about seismic activities that could lead to earthquakes. 

There are two main branches in oceanography. 

• Physical oceanography

• Chemical oceanography

Physical oceanography is the study of the seafloor, coastline, and atmosphere. Chemical oceanography is the study of the chemical composition of seawater and how it is affected by human activity and weather. 

About 70 percent of Earth’s surface is covered with water, and nearly 97 percent of which is salt water that flows in the oceans. Seeing the size of the oceans and the rapid technological advancements, there is no end to what we can find and what will be uncovered in the upcoming years in oceanography. 

Father of Geography 

The first person to ever use the word Geography was Eratosthenes of Cyrene. He is known as the Father of Geography. Geography is a niche of science that studies the landmasses, oceans, and seas. It also includes the study of natural phenomena occurring on the Earth and the people who inhabit this planet, and their interaction with their surroundings. 

Eratosthenes calculated the tilt of the earth axis. He also calculated the distance between the Earth and the moon, but it was less accurate than the current methodologies used to determine this distance. He laid down the calendar with the leap year. His most important achievement was accurately calculating the Earth’s circumference, which he calculated by using simple geometry and trigonometry and by recognising the Earth as a sphere. 

The Father of Geography, Eratosthenes, was also known for the below achievements.

• He created a highly accurate map of the world.

• His maps have grid lines that we can resemble as latitude and longitude, which we use to plot various places on Earth.

• He also calculated the distance between Syene and Alexandria. 

James Rennell

James Rennell was a leading geographer in his time. He was born in Devon, England, on December 3, 1742. James Rennell served as surveyor-general of Bengal and was the first person to produce maps of Bengal at one inch to five miles. He drew an accurate outline map of India. 

He was coined as the Father of Oceanography. He was one of the founders of the Royal Geographical Society, which was established in 1830. 

In the initial days, James Rennell surveyed the Ganges river starting in the autumn of 1764. The main purpose of this survey was to find a waterway route from Calcutta to the north region. He was later appointed as surveyor-general for East India Company by the Governor of Bengal and Bihar. Mapping of India was accomplished on the field by the army, and distances were measured using a perambulator (a calibrated wheel used to calculate distance based on the revolution of the wheel). James Rennell’s projects were carried out in his work, like military surveys, finding safe routes through the territory, and gathering information. Rennell’s first most important contribution was the Bengal Atlas in 1779, which was then followed by the first-ever detailed map of India in 1783. 

Conclusion 

Oceanography is the branch that is concerned with all the aspects of the global ocean. Oceanography includes physical and chemical study and the living forms in them. Eratosthenes is known as the Father of Geography. Eratosthenes calculated the Earth’s axis and calculated the circumference of the Earth with simple geometry and trigonometry. He also calculated the distance from the Earth to the moon. James Rennell was known as the Father of Oceanography. He was the first person to give a Bengal map and India. He also surveyed the river Ganges to find a water route to the north region from Calcutta.