OCEAN 101 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Upwelling, Evaporation, Photic Zone
Document Summary
The ocean acts as a thermostat due to its high heat capacity. The ocean resists changes in temperature, due to thermal inertia: the ocean doesn"t want to change. Higher temperature is found on the east coasts of indonesia and north america: causes of water temperature differences. More land masses = more extreme temperatures and less of a thermostatic effect by the ocean. Pooling of warmer water in the west edges of the basin. Equator is 0, tropical is 0-30, temperate is 30-60, polar is 60-90: ocean is strati ed by temperature, and it varies by region on the surface water. General temperature and salinity trends change by latitude on mostly the photic zone, because that is where the sun penetrates. Polar oceanic waters: low temp, low salinity (28-32 ppt, <5 c annual variation. Temperate oceanic waters: warmer temp & salinity (35 ppt, 10 c annual variation.
