Τμήμα Ωκεανογραφίας και Θαλασσίων Βιοεπιστημών

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Special Topics in Marine Chemistry - - NOT AVAILABLE IN 2025-2026
School:
Of the Environment
Academic Unit:
Department of Marine Sciences
Level of studies:
Undergraduate
Course Code:
191ΘΔ40Ε
Semester:
Η
Course Title:
Special Topics in Marine Chemistry – – NOT AVAILABLE IN 2025-2026
Credits
5
Course Type:
Specialised general knowledge
Prerequisite Courses:
Officially, there are not prerequisite courses. However, the student is required to have advanced knowledge of General Chemistry and Chemical Oceanography is required. Sufficient knowledge of Marine Geochemistry is welcome.
Language of Instruction and Examinations:
English
Is the course offered to Erasmus students:
Yes
  • (2) Learning Outcomes
  • Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of the course students should be able to: 

  • Know and understand the basic concepts, principles, theories and data associated with the mechanisms of biogeochemical processes occurring in the ocean. 

  • Present the most important methods to estimate rates of biogeochemical processes in the ocean 

  • Understand and be able to describe the air-sea gas exchange  

  • Understand the role of the ocean in regulating the carbon dioxide content of the atmosphere and climate  

  • Conduct simple chemical equilibrium calculations related to marine chemical and biogeochemical processes 

  • Be able to apply the different widely available tools for the computation of CO2-carbonate system in seawater taking into consideration their capabilities and limitations  

  • Demonstrate fluency to read, analyse and synthesise marine chemistry literature 

  • Interact with others in interdisciplinary scientific issues related to the marine environment by combining all aforementioned knowledge

  • General Competences

Apply theory in practice 

Search, analyze and synthesize data and information, using the necessary tools 

Independent work 

Capacity to work in interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary teams 

Respect for the natural environment 

Critical and self-critical capacity 

Production of free, creative and inductive thinking

  • (3) Syllabus

Special topics in Marine Chemistry courses are focusing in the thorough study of selected specific topics related to fundamental chemical processes occurring in the marine environment. The interaction of the ocean with the atmosphere, the land and the Earth’s interior is also examined in this course. At the same time, particular emphasis is given on the interplay of marine chemistry with biological activity and the impact of human activities on the marine environment. 

The course covers the following topics:  

  • The acidity of water and seawater 

  • Marine carbonate chemistry – Introduction to different packages for the computation of carbonate system in seawater 

  • Biogenic Carbonate sediments (Pelagic) and their preservation 

  • Stable and radioactive isotopes: applications in oceanography and marine biogeochemistry  

  • Quantifying biogeochemical fluxes and rates  

  • Photochemical reactions and processes in marine waters 

  • Redox chemistry in seawater and sediments 

  • Atmosphere-ocean interaction (chemical view) 

  • Dissolved Gases in seawater and Gas Exchange across the Air-Sea interface 

  • Gas Hydrates

  • (4) Teaching and Learning Methods - Evaluation
  • Delivery:

Face to face

  • Use of Information and Communication Technology:
  • Use of ICT in teaching (PPT presentations) 
  • PC lab on the use of special software (CO2sys, Ocean Data View) and Excel spreadsheets 
  • Communication with students via e-mail and e-class platform 
  • Uploading course material on e-class system. 
  • Teaching Methods:
Activity Semester workload
Lectures and Lab
39
Tutorials
30
Independent study
55
Final exam
3
Course total
127
  • Student Performance Evaluation:
  • Language of evaluation: English. 
  • In special cases, for students with disabilities, evaluation takes place via oral examination. 
  • The final student’s grade is defined by the final written exam (70%) and its overall performance in the homework assignments (30%). 
  • The criteria for evaluation of homework assignments are: methological sufficiency 50%, correctness of results 30%, quality of report 20% 
  • Evaluation of students takes place via final written exams. The exam paper comprises multiple choice questions, short-answer questions, open-ended questions and problem solving. 
  • The exam paper is accessible to the students for clarifications regarding the final grade. 
  • (5) Attached Bibliography

– Suggested bibliography: 

Lecturer’s Notes on topics of the course 

Libes, S.M., 2009. Introduction to Marine Biogeochemistry, 2nd Edition. Elsevier Academic Press. ISBN: 9780120885305 

Millero, F. J., 2013. Chemical Oceanography, 4th Ed., Taylor & Francis Group. ISBN: 9781466512498 

Sarmiento J.L., Gruber, N., 2006. Ocean Biogeochemical Dynamics, Princeton University Press. ISBN-13: 978-0-691-01707-5 

Emerson S.R., Hedges J.I., 2008. Chemical oceanography and the marine carbon cycle, Cambridge University Press. ISBN-13 978-0-521-83313-4 

Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry, A Derivative of Encyclopedia of Ocean Sciences, 2nd Edition, Turekian K. (Ed.) 2010, Academic Press Elsevier. ISBN: 978-0-08-096483-6 

Selected papers of related academic  journals are given for study 

– Related academic journals: 

Progress in Oceanography – https://www.journals.elsevier.com/progress-in-oceanography  

Marine Chemistry – https://www.journals.elsevier.com/marine-chemistry  

Biogeosciences – https://www.biogeosciences.net/  

Journal of Marine Systems – https://www.journals.elsevier.com/journal-of-marine-systems  

Continental Shelf Research – https://www.journals.elsevier.com/continental-shelf-research  

Global Biogeochemical Cycles – http://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/hub/journal/10.1002/(ISSN)1944-9224/  

Deep-Sea Research Part I: Oceanographic Research Papers – https://www.journals.elsevier.com/deep-sea-research-part-i-oceanographic-research-papers 

Deep-Sea Research Part II: Topical Studies in Oceanography – https://www.journals.elsevier.com/deep-sea-research-part-ii-topical-studies-in-oceanography