These terms are the condition for which that code number is to be used. The terms may be synonyms of the code title, or, in the case of other specified codes, the terms are a list of the various conditions assigned to that code.
Physical oceanography, or marine physics, studies the ocean's physical attributes including temperature-salinity structure, mixing, surface waves, internal waves, surface tides, internal tides, and currents.
But modern oceanography really took off less than 60 years ago, during World War II, when the U.S. Navy wanted to learn more about the oceans to gain fighting advantages, especially in submarine warfare. This section of Deeper Discovery will give you some background and history on the science of oceanography.