Geography 1400F/G Lecture : Geography Lecture #8 - November 28 - December 5 2013.docx

• School: Western University
• Department: Geography
• Course: Geography 1400F/G
• Professor: Anthony Weis

Document Summary

First 200m of ocean circulation is responsible for making places with higher latitudes warmer (than what they otherwise would have been). Big unknown deep water circulation of world (big majority of oceans mass). It takes 1000 years to make a full world circulation. Accordion like picture creates a chemical change and a pressure change in the deep water circulation. Ice that freezes is a fresh water and sea water is therefore very salty (and much denser and colder) Accordion is like a density pump when it expands and contracts. Weakening as the accordion shrinks the annual pump gets weaker what are the long term implications in regards to the ocean itself. Crystalized freshwater has a lighter density than the salt water below it. How melting of ice sheets/shelves will affect global ocean circulation. Sea ice doesn"t affect ocean level (rise or fall). The big threat is contained in the glaciers sitting on top of continents and ice shelves.