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B. Deep Currents: VII. Ocean Currents (Cont.) Oceanography 100 Mr. Trujillo

Deep ocean currents are driven by density differences caused by temperature and salinity. They originate at high latitude surface waters where water becomes dense after cooling and sinking below the surface. These thermohaline currents are much larger in volume than surface currents, but move more slowly. An example is the Atlantic Ocean where dense water sinks near Antarctica and can be found along the equator hundreds of years later at depth, having slowly circulated the entire basin. The deep ocean is characterized as being cold, dark with low productivity but high in nutrients and oxygen due to lack of sunlight. Pressure also increases greatly with depth.

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41 views1 page

B. Deep Currents: VII. Ocean Currents (Cont.) Oceanography 100 Mr. Trujillo

Deep ocean currents are driven by density differences caused by temperature and salinity. They originate at high latitude surface waters where water becomes dense after cooling and sinking below the surface. These thermohaline currents are much larger in volume than surface currents, but move more slowly. An example is the Atlantic Ocean where dense water sinks near Antarctica and can be found along the equator hundreds of years later at depth, having slowly circulated the entire basin. The deep ocean is characterized as being cold, dark with low productivity but high in nutrients and oxygen due to lack of sunlight. Pressure also increases greatly with depth.

Uploaded by

Aaron Appleton
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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VII. Ocean Currents (cont.) B.

Deep Currents

Oceanography 100

Mr. Trujillo

Affect water in the deep zone below the pycnocline, about 90% of ocean water Deep currents are much larger than surface currents but also move much more slowly

1. Mechanism
Density-induced (as opposed to wind-induced for surface currents) Denser surface waters sink Q: What 2 factors affect seawater density? A: Temperature and Salinity (note that temperature is the #1 factor) Thats why deep currents are called: thermohaline (therm = temp, haline = salinity) flow Deep-water currents originate at the surface in subpolar (high latitude) regions: at these latitudes, surface water becomes cold and high density and so sinks below the surface

2. Ex: Atlantic Ocean Basin: viewed north to south (EO11 Figure 7.28, page 227)

Remember that the ocean is layered based on density (just like the tank with colored water shown in class) Note upwelling and downwelling in high latitudes (no thermocline/pycnocline present) Also note that even along the equator, if you go deep enough, you encounter water that originated at the surface near Antarctica ~500 years ago (see Antarctic Bottom Water in figure above)

3. Characteristics of the Deep Ocean


Cold (just a few degrees above freezing) Dark Low productivity (no sunlight) Sparse life (not lifeless!) High in nutrients & oxygen (thats why upwelling waters have these characteristics) Still (only slow current movement) Extremely high pressure (Ex: Styrofoam cup)

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