Oceanography- Deep ocean circulation
Terms
undefined, object
copy deck
- As was mentioned last chapter deep ocean current is driven by
- density contrasts.
- what gradient drives deep ocean currents? how fast are they?
-
thermohaline circulation
Slow; 1-2m/day - What are the four regions of water masses?
-
Surface water (ABOVE 200)
intermediate water (200-1500)
Deep water (1500-BOTTOM)
Bottom water (FLOWS ALONG SEAFLOOR) - water masses and mixabilit
- water masses do not mix readily. there is a reason they are where they are... they are density stratified and wont mix.
- deepwater masses occur in three locations (major downwellling)
-
1.) Weddel sea
2.) Norwegian sea
3.) Ross sea - Deep water masses form especially at high latitudes because
- there is no thermocline (all water is cold)
-
Thus we say that in the Weddel sea...
In the norwegian sea... -
weddel sea is where cold water gets salty
Norwegian is where salty water gets cold. -
antartic bottom water
-where ____ gets ____
-forms where
-density?
-what happens?
-flows? -
cold water gets salty
weddel sea (antartica)
Earth's most dense water mass
As ice sheets freeze cold water gets saltier
NORTH -
North atlantic deep water
-forms from
- where ___ gets ___.
-flows -
Gulfstream water
salty water gets cold.
Northwest - Ocean Conveyor Belt⬝ - where is water coming up and down
- Water goes down in the west atlantic and travels across to the west pacific where it comes up and back east toward the atlantic.
- Deep Water circulation time of the ocean =
- 1000 years
- Average age of a water mass =
- 400 years (the time since the water was last on the surface)
- As deep water masses travel from Atlantic To Pacific⬦.
- we expect to see CO2 increase as water is lower and less photosynthesis can occur.
- Since CO2 levels are higher in the pacific, carbonate preservation is
- hindered. Thus dissolution of carbonate is more common in the pacific than in the atlantic
- Day after tomorrow effect is caused because...
- Melting of glaciers causes a lens of freshwater to cover the N. Atlantic whcih could shut down thermohaline circulation and therefore deep ocean circulation. this causes less distribution of heat and a mini ice age...