Ocean Circulation In partnership with Dr. Zafer Top Samantha Hampton Honors Science December 15, 2014
Ocean Circulation is the large scale movement of waters in the ocean basins. Dr. Zafer Top studies global and ocean circulation and the effect the circulation has on Earth. Ocean This graph is an example of how the circulation of warm water circulation can affect the melting and building of the ice volume in the Arctic throughout the years 1975- the estimated amount of 2020. circulation is very important because the cycle is the main cause of weather and climate change. The circulation of warm and cold water is what affects climate and weather. This subject is important to study because knowing the cycle can help understand when and why weather and climate changes. The cycle of Ocean Circulation is a pattern that goes through all of the oceans on the globe. The cycle can be started anywhere because the cycle goes in a continuous pattern no matter where the cycle starts. Different currents move the water through warm and cold areas changing the temperature of the water and areas around, an effect of this is polar caps melting. There are two types of gyres (any large system of rotating ocean currents, particularly those involved with large wind movements), subtropical and polar which are the main sections that move the bodies of water. Different gyres have different surface and subsurface currents. This image shows the direction and flow of Subtropical gyres and associated ocean currents. The different types of gyres are in the North, South Atlantic and Pacific oceans. The North
Equatorial Current is a significant Pacific and Atlantic current that flows east-to-west between about 10 degrees North and 20 degrees South. The South Equatorial Current is a significant Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Ocean current that flows east-to-west between the equator and 20 degrees South. Boundary currents are ocean currents with dynamics determined by the presence of a coastline, and fall into two distinct categories: western boundary currents and eastern boundary currents. These subcategories are all part of the bigger circulation. Thermohaline circulation (THC) is a part of the large-scale ocean circulation that is driven by global density gradients created by surface heat and freshwater fluxes. The deep This images shows the convection of the Thermohaline belt and the upwelling and down welling of the process. circulation is mostly wind driven, but tidal mixing is also important. The wind impacts the waters several ways. The wind cools the surface and evaporates water, which determines where deep convection occurs. And, produces turbulence in the deep ocean with mixes cold water upward. Upwelling is a process in which deep, cold water rises toward the surface. The Coastal Upwelling is, as its name implies, a measure of the volume of water that upwells along the coast. Equatorial upwelling is the same thing but around the equator the water gets significantly hotter. Down welling is the process of accumulation and sinking of higher density material beneath lower density material, such as cold or saline water beneath warmer or fresher water or cold air beneath warm air. Down welling is the sinking part of a convection cell. Ocean circulation is hugely important in causing seasons and temperature since this brings warm and cold water around the globe. There are many current projects researching more information on ocean circulation since pollution and climate change are becoming a problematic
area for scientists. One project is the Polar Research Trek where a group of scientists are on a ship observing currents and the cycle to search for a solution and to know more about the quick changing climate changes. In conclusion ocean circulation is a very relevant topic to study and know about.
Works Cited N/A. Marine Biodiversity wiki. Ocean Circulation-. N/A, n.d. Web. 14 Dec. 2014. http://www.marbef.org/wiki/ocean_circulation Lambert, David, and Anita McConnell. Seas and Oceans. New York, NY : facts on File Publications, 1985. http://www.eoearth.org/view/article/154990/ Dr. Zafer Top zafertop9@gmail.com Bryan, Kirk. Ocean Circulation Theory. Science 21 Feb. 1997: n. pag. Web. N/A. The Climate System. Ocean Circulation. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Dec. 2014. http://eesc.columbia.edu/courses/ees/climate/lectures/o_circ.html