Vertical Circulation
Density in the ocean is primarily determined by:
- Colder Water
- Density differences
Water that Sinks:
- Is dense
- Is found in a few small places near the poles
- Moves quickly
Water that rises:
- Rises over the whole ocean.
- Rises very slowly
- Gradually becomes less dense
Deep water currents are important because:
- Transport heat around the globe
- Affect our climate
- Bring nutrients from the bottom of the ocean to the surface.
Both pictures show a slice through the Atlantic Ocean. The top pictures is temperature and the bottom picture is salinity.
1.At 50 degrees south , estimate the temperature at the surface and at the bottom.
near 50 degrees south, because its more dense it will have more salinity and it will sink faster
1.At 50 degrees south , estimate the temperature at the surface and at the bottom.
- Surface temperature: 3 degrees.
- Bottom Surface: 1 degree.
- Surface temperature : 27 degrees.
- Bottom temperature: 4 degrees.
near 50 degrees south, because its more dense it will have more salinity and it will sink faster