The field embraces the study of the geology and history (paleoceanography, paleoclimatology, marine cryosphere) of the oceans using marine sediment archives.
Marine geophysics is an important component of the field, with a focus on mapping Earth's surface landforms and sub-surface geology together with data compilations in large databases. A wide range of numerical models are employed to better understand processes in the Earth system on all time scales. Research in Marine geology also involves studies of lake sediments and lake bottom morphology.