110 likes | 147 Views
Explore the complexities of Thermohaline Circulation, from defining terminology to its role in heat transport and climate regulation. Learn about the movement of water masses, vertical mixing, upwelling, and the formation of deep water in various oceans. Discover the potential impact of climate change on this vital oceanic process.
E N D
Thermohaline Circulation Carisa Sousa
Description • Defining - terminology • Meridional Overturning • Movement • “Overturning” - Pacific and Indian Oceans • Vertical Mixing vs Sinking? • Spreading via currents? • Water Masses • T-S plots, water properties
Downwelling • Specific zones in the North Atlantic and Southern Oceans • Evaporative Cooling • Increase in Salinity Increase in Density • (Nor Sea, S.O.) • Sea Ice formation • “Ice Factories” • Topography – steers flow, blocks flow • Pacific deep water formation? • Salinity
North Atlantic • DSOW Denmark Strait Overflow Water; LSW, Labrador Sea Water; NEADW, Northeast Atlantic Deep Water; NADW, North Atlantic Deep Water; EGC, East Greenland Current; LC, Labrador Current; WBUC, Western Boundary Undercurrent (Hillaire-Marcel, 2001.)
Upwelling • Vertical Mixing • Diffusion? • Advection? • North Pacific and Indian Oceans • Sea level higher • Southern Ocean Ekman divergence
Importance • Heat Transport • Gulf Stream Example • Climate Regulator • CO2 cycle climate cycle
Climate Change • Shutdown of THC • North Atlantic cooling • Unlikely • Glacier Melt Freshening • Other factors: wind? • Even if weakening occurs, Warming>Cooling?