Circulation of the Ocean. Ch. 9

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1 Circulation of the Ocean Ch. 9

2 Importance of Ocean Currents Solar radiation varies with latitude Heat gain near Equator Variable Reradiation (reflection) Heat loss near Poles Ocean currents distribute Earth s heat

3 Winds Surface Currents 10% of Ocean (400 m) Driven by winds Surface water piles up perpendicular to wind direction Gravity causes water to flow down the pile (slope) Moving water deflected by Coriolis Effect Circular-flowing surface current = Gyres Gyres

4 Coriolis Eff. deflects surface water: Coriolis Effect & Ekman Spiral 45 to Right of driving wind (N Hemis.) 45 to Left (S. Hemis.) Ekman Spiral Deflection with depth Underlying waters moved by layers above Speed due to friction

5 Spiral extends down ~100 m (330 ft.) Thermocline/pycnocline at base of spiral Water density Becomes harder to move Ekman Transport Ekman Spiral

6 Ekman transport drives water to center of gyre Water "piles up" in middle (mound) ~ 3 ft. higher than "surrounding" water Gravity balances this out Creates a circular flow pattern around mound Gravity Geostrophic Gyres

7 5 Geostrophic Gyres Gyre Gyre Gyre Gyre Gyre Antarctic Circumpolar Current (Major Current, Not Technically a Gyre)

8 North Atlantic Gyre Currents flow in direction of wind Deflected more by Coriolis Eff. Continents & basin topography block current flow Further deflect flow into circular pattern

9 Currents Each Gyre is made up of several currents Blend into one another in gyre Classified by geographic position within gyre: Western Boundary Eastern Boundary Transverse

10 Western Boundary Currents West side of Basins (East side of Continent) Fastest, Deepest, Narrow, Large transport (55sv) Move Warm water poleward EX: Gulf Stream (N. Atlant), Kuroshio(N. Pacific) Kuroshio (Japan) Gulf Stream sv=1 million meters 3 / second

11 Transverse Currents Flow from East to West Moderate: Shallow, Broad, & Transport (30sv) Link Eastern & Western Boundary Currents EX: North Equatorial & South Equatorial North Equatorial N. Equatorial South Equatorial S. Equatorial

12 Surface Currents Impact Climate Heat poleward, Cold water Equator Areas Cooler/ Warmer than similar Latitude: S. California, SW Africa, Chile: Colder England, Ireland, Scandinavia: Warmer Colder than Expected California Gulf Stream& N. Atlantic Peru Benguela Warmer than Expected

13 Vertical Water Motion Horizontal Currents driven by wind (Ekman Transport): Can Cause water to move upward or downward

14 Downwelling: Water driven toward a coast by wind can be forced downward Supplies deep ocean with dissolved gases & surface nutrients

15 Upwelling: Water moved horizontally by Ekman Transport Replaced by cold, deep, nutrient-rich water 1. Equatorial Upwelling: Equatorial currents (N&S) move poleward Deep water replaces Direct effect on global climate & marine life at equator

16 2. Coastal Upwelling Caused by winds blowing either parallel or offshore along a coastline Cold H 2 O replaces surface H 2 O Brings up cold nutrient-rich waters Affects regional climate & marine life

17 El Niño / Southern Oscillation (ENSO) Disruption of ocean-atmosphere system in Tropical Pacific Effects global weather (1-3 yrs.) Normally Trade (surface) winds blow from East to West Indonesia Normal Conditions Trades drag large quantity of warm H 2 O West Central America

18 El Niño / Southern Oscillation (ENSO) Cycles every 3-8 years Trade winds weaken or reverse directions Unclear why E to W flow of warm equatorial water reverses Warm water builds up & flows toward S. America Indonesia El Niño Conditions Weak W to E winds Warm water flows W to E Central America South America

19 Warm H2O moves away from SE Asia Arrives off S. America Sea level rises Normal cold H2O conditions return Warm H2O piles up by S. Amer. 17 Jan 1999

20 Signs El Niño Is Underway 1. Diminishment of Equatorial Trade winds 2. Appearance of unusually warm water off coast of Ecuador & Peru Large El Niño events: &

21 Global Effects of El Niño 1. East-Pacific sea level rises (~20 cm = 8 ) 2. E. Pacific surface water warms (7 C=13 F) Suppresses cold water upwelling off Peru Marine life die or migrate 3. Precipitation & storms in western Americas & SE USA 4. Drought in SE Asia, Australia, & Africa 5. Warm & wet winter in NE & midwest USA

22 El Niño & La Niña Opposite phases of S. Oscillation (ENSO) cycle La Niña: ENSO cold phase Appears as El Niño retreats East cools & warm water piles up to West Extreme & abnormal weather in W. Pacific (like El Niño in East) La Niña El Niño Ice Cores 100,000 s of yrs. Tree Rings 1,000 s of yrs.

23 Thermohaline Circulation Slow circulation of deep water driven by DENSITY (Not wind) Temperature & salinity variations control density Density when: Temperature OR Salinity Cold, Salty water = most dense Higher density water formed at poles & sinks into deep ocean Less dense water at surface (Warm, FW runoff & Precipitation)

24 Where is Dense (Cold, Salty) Water Formed? When ice forms, salt is concentrated into pockets between crystals Ice (FW) floats, briny water sinks

25 Layered Ocean Structure Seasonal ice formation creates cold, salty water that sinks (poles) At Surface (lower latitudes) Warm, less salty water Driven by winds Thermocline slows mixing Equatorial Upwelling

26 North Atlantic Thermohaline Circulation Gulf Stream: Warm surface water travels North Cold salty water forms near Greenland (NADW) Sinks & travels South under surface water North North Atlantic Deep Water

27 Global Ocean Conveyer Belt Deep, Cold Salty Water moves under Warm Surface Currents Some Cold water warms near Equator

28 Global Conveyer Belt: Movement of Deep, Cold, Salty Water From Atlantic To Pacific WARM Warm water from equator towards poles COLD

29 Excess Freshwater entering N. Atlantic may stop Thermohaline circulation Halt movement of Gulf Stream Global Warming could cause N. Europe & America to Cool Significantly! Melting ice & River inflow Dense, sinking water causes convection that helps drive Deep Circulation

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31 Normal Conditions El Nino Conditions

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33 El Ñino / SOuthern Oscillation (ENSO) A. Causes Large Climatic Fluctuation 1. Breakdown in the normal atmospheric circulation patterns in the Pacific 2. Irregular cycle, occurs every 2-10 yrs. 3. The weather season was last large El Nino 4. The season was another major episode B. Obvious Signs That an El Ñino is Underway 1. Diminishment of the Equatorial Trade winds 2. The appearance of unusually warm water off the coast of

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39 Three depth zones: surface (mixed layer to ~100m, 2%) pycnocline ( m, 18%) deep ocean (>1000m, 80%). Pycnocline: zone of density change, Thermocline: depth zone where marked changes in temperature occur Halocline: depth zone where marked changes in salinity

40 Thermohaline circulation convective exchange and vertical circulation; controlled by temperature and salinity seasonal temperature changes create seasonal thermocline affect surface density can form sinking water masses, or freshwater lid.

41 Circulation of the Ocean Ch. 9

42 2. Coastal Upwelling Caused by winds blowing either parallel or offshore along a coastline Cold H 2 O replaces surface H 2 O Brings up cold nutrient-rich waters Affects regional climate & marine life

43 El Niño / Southern Oscillation (ENSO) Disruption of ocean-atmosphere system in Tropical Pacific Effects global weather (1-3 yrs.) Normally Trade (surface) winds blow from East to West Indonesia Normal Conditions Trades drag large quantity of warm H 2 O West Central America

44 El Niño / Southern Oscillation (ENSO) Cycles every 3-8 years Trade winds weaken or reverse directions Unclear why E to W flow of warm equatorial water reverses Warm water builds up & flows toward S. America Indonesia El Niño Conditions Weak W to E winds Warm water flows W to E Central America South America

45 Warm H2O moves away from SE Asia Arrives off S. America Sea level rises Normal cold H2O conditions return Warm H2O piles up by S. Amer. 17 Jan 1999

46 Signs El Niño Is Underway 1. Diminishment of Equatorial Trade winds 2. Appearance of unusually warm water off coast of Ecuador & Peru Large El Niño events: &

47 Global Effects of El Niño 1. East-Pacific sea level rises (~20 cm = 8 ) 2. E. Pacific surface water warms (7 C=13 F) Suppresses cold water upwelling off Peru Marine life die or migrate 3. Precipitation & storms in western Americas & SE USA 4. Drought in SE Asia, Australia, & Africa 5. Warm & wet winter in NE & midwest USA

48 El Niño & La Niña Opposite phases of S. Oscillation (ENSO) cycle La Niña: ENSO cold phase Appears as El Niño retreats East cools & warm water piles up to West Extreme & abnormal weather in W. Pacific (like El Niño in East) La Niña El Niño Ice Cores 100,000 s of yrs. Tree Rings 1,000 s of yrs.

49 Thermohaline Circulation Slow circulation of deep water driven by DENSITY (Not wind) Temperature & salinity variations control density Density when: Temperature OR Salinity Cold, Salty water = most dense Higher density water formed at poles & sinks into deep ocean Less dense water at surface (Warm, FW runoff & Precipitation)

50 Where is Dense (Cold, Salty) Water Formed? When ice forms, salt is concentrated into pockets between crystals Ice (FW) floats, briny water sinks

51 Layered Ocean Structure Seasonal ice formation creates cold, salty water that sinks (poles) At Surface (lower latitudes) Warm, less salty water Driven by winds Thermocline slows mixing Equatorial Upwelling

52 North Atlantic Thermohaline Circulation Gulf Stream: Warm surface water travels North Cold salty water forms near Greenland (NADW) Sinks & travels South under surface water North North Atlantic Deep Water

53 Global Ocean Conveyer Belt Deep, Cold Salty Water moves under Warm Surface Currents Some Cold water warms near Equator

54 Excess Freshwater entering N. Atlantic may stop Thermohaline circulation Halt movement of Gulf Stream Global Warming could cause N. Europe & America to Cool Significantly! Melting ice & River inflow Dense, sinking water causes convection that helps drive Deep Circulation

55 Global Conveyer Belt: Movement of Deep, Cold, Salty Water From Atlantic To Pacific WARM COLD

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