T

he ocean dominates the surface of the Earth. The ocean drives the Earth's climate; it provides us with food, transportation, energy, raw materials, recreation. Life on Earth, even far inland, depends critically on the ocean. Increasingly, our own survival depends on our understanding of the ocean, and our scientific understanding of the ocean rests on the use of mathematics.

Mathematics and the Ocean is the theme of Math Awareness Month 2001, a theme which we'll interpret about as broadly as

Last year was World Mathematical Year

the ocean is wide. The variety of mathematics with direct applications to the ocean ranges from fluid dynamics to statistics; from partial differential equations through numerical modeling and on to signal processing; from control theory to chaos theory. Even the more esoteric fields of mathematics have tangential relationships with the ocean, like the exotic sea-star algebras, and the practical applications of field extensions used by the Dutch. And in addition to being an object of study, the ocean provides an apt metaphor for mathematics: it is profound, essential, dynamic. At times it is hard to fathom, but at other times, fun to splash around in.

Here at ASU we invite you to take a dip, as it were --- to join us in a series of mathematical talks and social activities throughout the month of April. Help us celebrate the unique beauty, importance, and versatility of mathematics! While not all of the talks involve the ocean explicitly, we hope you'll find them to be just as intriguing, and even more accessible.

For more information and images concerning mathematics and its role in ocean studies, we suggest the following links:

• Oceanographic Research at ASU's Environmental Fluid Dynamics Program.
• Mathematics of Atmosphere and Ocean Dynamics, by ASU's D. A. Jones, A. Mahalov, B. Nikolaenko, and K.-L. Tse.
• Simulation of an Ocean Jet Stream, by ASU's D. A. Jones.
• Ocean Remote Sensing at Johns Hopkins University.
• The Center for Fluid Mechanics at Brown University.
• The College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences at Oregon State University.