Great Ocean Conveyor Belt - illustration of thermohaline circulation - shows link between surface and deep circulation - demonstrates connectivity of the world ocean - transport of energy and biogeochemical tracers - significant link between ocean and climate (weather) Geography 104 - “Physical Geography of the World’s Oceans”
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Great Ocean Conveyor Belt illustration of thermohaline circulation
Geography 104 - “Physical Geography of the World’s Oceans”. Great Ocean Conveyor Belt illustration of thermohaline circulation shows link between surface and deep circulation demonstrates connectivity of the world ocean transport of energy and biogeochemical tracers - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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Great Ocean Conveyor Belt
- illustration of thermohaline circulation
- shows link between surface and deep circulation
- demonstrates connectivity of the world ocean
- transport of energy and biogeochemical tracers
- significant link between ocean and climate (weather)
Geography 104 - “Physical Geography of the World’s Oceans”
• processes that change temperature (thermo) or salinity (haline) and thus density driven flow
• winter storms and rapid surface cooling
• freezing seawater and salt rejection
• sinking (vertical motion) of near-surface water
Thermohaline Circulation
• only very small density changes are needed
• vertical velocities are small (< 1 m/day)
• downward movement at one location must be compensated by upward movement (conservation of volume)
• resulting horizontal velocities small (< 1 cm/s)
• important for sea life – oxygen moved downward
– nutrients moved upward
Thermohaline Circulation
Water masses are defined by their T-S properties
Movement of seawater is along isopycnal surfaces
know there are a variety of water masses in the ocean……….
identifiable by their T-S properties,
with the densest waters being deepest.
Atlantic Deep Circulation
Global Conveyor Circulation
WinnipegLondon
50º
Climate differences: N. America vs. Northern Europe
WinnipegLondon
50º
Climate differences: N. America vs. Northern Europe