Marine Chemistry
MIT OpenCourseWare's introduction to chemical oceanography covers reservoir models and residence time, the major ion composition of seawater, and the inputs and outputs that move material between rivers, atmosphere, seafloor, and ocean. Lectures trace biogeochemical cycling of carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, oxygen, and sulfur through the water column and sediments, focusing on how particle formation, transport, and alteration reshape seawater chemistry. A dedicated unit examines how the ocean absorbs anthropogenic carbon dioxide. Beyond lectures, students lead presentations and discussions of recent research papers, giving the course a seminar component alongside the core content. Materials are provided as MIT OpenCourseWare pages, free to access, with no certificate offered. The course targets students with a chemistry or earth science background looking for a rigorous treatment of ocean chemical processes.