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15 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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As was mentioned last chapter deep ocean current is driven by
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density contrasts.
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what gradient drives deep ocean currents? how fast are they?
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thermohaline circulation
Slow; 1-2m/day |
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What are the four regions of water masses?
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Surface water (ABOVE 200)
intermediate water (200-1500) Deep water (1500-BOTTOM) Bottom water (FLOWS ALONG SEAFLOOR) |
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water masses and mixabilit
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water masses do not mix readily. there is a reason they are where they are... they are density stratified and wont mix.
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deepwater masses occur in three locations (major downwellling)
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1.) Weddel sea
2.) Norwegian sea 3.) Ross sea |
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Deep water masses form especially at high latitudes because
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there is no thermocline (all water is cold)
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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. |
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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 |
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North atlantic deep water
-forms from - where ___ gets ___. -flows |
Gulfstream water
salty water gets cold. Northwest |
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Ocean Conveyor Belt” - where is water coming up and down
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Water goes down in the west atlantic and travels across to the west pacific where it comes up and back east toward the atlantic.
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Deep Water circulation time of the ocean =
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1000 years
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Average age of a water mass =
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400 years (the time since the water was last on the surface)
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As deep water masses travel from Atlantic To Pacific….
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we expect to see CO2 increase as water is lower and less photosynthesis can occur.
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Since CO2 levels are higher in the pacific, carbonate preservation is
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hindered. Thus dissolution of carbonate is more common in the pacific than in the atlantic
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Day after tomorrow effect is caused because...
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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...
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