OCEAN CIRCULATION

DENSITY OF SEAWATER DENSITY INCREASES DEPTH INCREASES TEMP DECREASES SALINITY INCREASES EFFECT OF TEMP > EFFECT OF SALINITY

OCEAN LAYERS SURFACE MIXED ZONE – less dense upper ocean, temp and salinity change often TRANSITION ZONE – fairly constant density, acts as barrier between surface and deep zones - PYCNOCLINE – rapid density change in water column - THERMOCLINE – rapid temp change in water column DEEP ZONE – water remains cold and dense Transition

THERMOHALINE CIRCULATION Movement of masses of ocean water driven by density gradients due to surface heat and freshwater input

SURFACE CURRENTS GYRES – large systems of spinning currents caused by the Coriolis effect

CORIOLIS EFFECT

EKMAN TRANSPORT An Ekman spiral (A) is a rotating column of water that forms when water moves at an angle to the wind direction due to the Coriolis Effect. The net effect of the rotating water (B) is movement at 90° to wind direction. Water turns to the right in NH, and to the left in SH.

UPWELLING & DOWNWELLING

ATMOSPHERIC CIRCULATION s/1400/circulation.html