Oceanographic Sciences Library – Serie

While various volumes havepreviously been de- bable, answer to this question lies in the obser- vation that while whitecaps are some of the voted to such topics as droplets and bubbles, it is our conceit that this is the first volume dedi- most apparent features associated with high sea cated to the description of the phenomenon states, they have also pro\'ed to be someofthe of oceanic whitecapping, and to a considera- most difficult objects to measure and describe tion of the role these whitecapsplay in satellite quantitatively, and while scientists as a group marine remote sensing, in sea-salt aerosol gene- may like to tackle difficult problems, we ration, and in a broad range ofother sea surface should not be accused ofundue modesty when processes. This observation, reOecting in part we observe that as a group we also have a finite the relatively modest attention paid until re- tolerance for frustration and ahuman,perhaps cently by the scientific community to white- aesthetic, prejudice in favour ofnatural pheno- caps, is noteworthy when one considers that mena that are amcnable to detailed description. collectively whitecaps are to thegeneral public It is appropriate to note that Professor Wood- one of the most striking features of the sea- cock, to whom this volume is dedicated, ap- scape.

Diffusion of contaminants in the ocean is a major factor forming fields of both natural and man-mad substances introduced into the water medium. Without proper understanding of the laws of contaminant diffusion in the ocean it is impossible to choose the correct methods of calculating the transport of biogenic elements, dissolved gases and pollutants. Diffusion processes in the ocean are very com­ plicated because of the larger number of factors influencing the distribution of a substance. In this regard, progress in studying the regularities of contami­ nant diffusion in the ocean can only be reached when combining theoretical and experimental methods. Both theoretical and experimental studies on the diffusion of contaminants in the ocean have been devoted much attention in many countries of the world. The results are being published in a larger number of journals and collected works; however, until now there have been no comprehensive publications on the diffu­ sion of contaminants in the ocean. This monograph summarizes the results obtained on the problem by the author and other researchers. The presentation of theoretical results is combined with the data obtained in diffusion experiments with artificial tracers. Also given are practical recommendations on how to compute the behavior of contaminants in various hydrometeorological conditions. Several parts of the monograph are based on the studies I have made in colla­ boration with A.N. Gerentsway, V.1. Zats, G.S. Karabashev, S.S. Muravyev, A.