Chem. Oceano. Midterm 1 Review - Unit 4: Salinity, Temp, Pressure, + Density

Salinity

Is hard to measure so we use chlorinity instead.

Chlorinity

The mass of halides expressed as the amount of chloride ions precipitated from 1 kg of seawater by Ag+.

Salinity Formula

1.80655 x Chlorinity

Conductivity-Temperature-Depth (CTD)

A direct reading instrument that measures the electrical conductivity + temp. to determine salinity

Latitude

Salinity changes with _____________ due to variations in precipitation + evaporation.

20-30°

The highest salinity is found between ____________ north + south of the equator (because evap. > precip.).

30°

The lowest salinity is found at the equator and poleward of 30° (because precip. > evap.).

Halocline

A zone of rapid change in salinity 1/ water depth - a place where surface waters and deep waters are separated.

Water Stratification

This layering within the ocean is more pronounced between 40°N and 40°S.

Correlates

Ocean surface temperature strongly _____________ w/ latitude.

Insolation

The amount of sunlight striking Earth's surface (related to latitude).

Albedo

The % of incoming solar radiation reflected by the Earth's surface.

Solar Radiation at Low Latitudes

1) Spread over a small surface area

2) Passes through a thinner atmosphere

3) Smaller albedo

Earth's Rotation

Daily changes in insolation is caused by _________________________.

Earth's Revolution + Axial Tilt

Seasonal changes in insolation is caused by _____________________________.

Wind

Vertical mixing by _________ transports heat to an average max. depth of 300m.

1000 m

Below __________ temperature is relatively constant.

Oceanic Microstructure

Instruments that provide continuous profiles of temp. + salinity in the ocean reveal fine-scale features or ____________________________.

0.2-30 m

Oceanic microstructure occurs on scales from ______________________.

Tropical + Subtropical Oceans

Exhibit permanents layering, warm/less dense SW and a permanents thermocline separating cold dense DW.

Temperate Oceans

Have a seasonal thermocline.

Polar Oceans

Lack a thermocline year round.

Thermocline

A layer in the ocean where temperature + density change rapidly with depth.

Ocean Isotherms

Horizontal/latitudinal patterns or lines of equal water temperature.

Density Formula

p = mass/volume (kg/m^3)

1020-1030 or 1.02-1.03 x 10^3

The typical surface density of seawater is between _____________ kg/m^3.

Decreases

Density _____________ w/ temperature.

Increases

Density _______________ w/ salinity.

Pressure

Density slowly increases w/ ___________________.

Pressure

A force acting on a surface per unit area of that surface (pascal)

Depth

Pressure is directly proportional to _________________.

Thermometers

Record the energy of the water molecules hitting it; the higher the energy, the higher the temp - increase pressure also increases T.