Chapter 3 Part 2

Do Now 1) What is a thermocline 2) How does the graph look? (where are the axis and how are they labeled?) 3) What information do we get from a temperature profile?

Temperature profile

CTDs Conductivity, temperature and depth in the water column Used along with other instruments. – Bathythermographs – measure temp but not salinity

Complications w/ samples What are some complications that scientists may face when collecting samples? Hmm.. – Trying to get samples from multiple sites – Weather and climate variability

Solutions What are some solutions to these problems? Hmm… – Instruments could drift with the currents – Use multiple ships at once – Satellites

Dissolved Gases Gasses dissolved in sea water: O2, CO2, N2 Found in atmosphere – Gas exchange between ocean and atm. Gases dissolve better in cold water Oxygen is not very soluble – 1L of seawater: 0-8mL dissolved O2 – 1L of air: 210mL dissolved O2 O2 in water is strongly affected by photosynthesis and respiration

Dissolved Gasses Most gasses produced by photosynthesis get released into the atm. Carbon dioxide is more soluble than oxygen – Makes up more than 80% of the dissolved gas in the ocean.

Transparency One of the most important properties Not all the colors of light penetrate to all depths of the ocean

What do we notice?

What else affects transparency? Suspended and dissolved material Plankton Through what process do plankton produce oxygen What is the “key” to these phytoplankton blooms happening? What are the mixing of ocean layers caused by?