Oceans: Oceans and Atmosphere (Module 2)

troposphere

troposphere

part of the atmopsehere between Earth’s surfacce and alititude of 16-19km near equator

verticla movements caused by density changes in this sphere

as alititude increases, air pressure, desnity and temp decreases

light winds and clear skies, limited rainfall

weather typical in regions where air amsses descend verticually and where atmospheric pressure is high

→ typically cold water, limited water vapor concentration

subtropical regions

sea surface salinity is generally highest in this region

heat and water vapor

Earth’s climate is controlled by transfers of this between oceans and atmsophere

from low to high latitudes

heat is transfered

latent heat

the condenstation of water vapor in moist wet air causes the release of what which warms air and causes air to rise

stratopshere

region of the atmospehre with thin air, low pressure

slowly difusses air

is characteristized by an Ozone (o3) layer that is drived by sun’s radiation

Ozone depletion

the depletion of Earth’s O2 in the south pole as a result of CFC’s

→ CFC’s are highly resistant to decomposotion (long residence time), it diffuses slowly up hte O3 layer and decomposes it completelty, leaving chlorie and floruine to desotry O3 molecules.

→ occurs mainly in the poalr regions in spring

water vapor saturation

max amount of water than can remain in the vapor phase in air

decreases

the density of air is depedented on water vapor and temperature

as temps increase, and water vapor increases, density

→ H2O molecules displace O and N, mixed and distributed to surrounding air masses by random motions.

condensation and prepcipation

water vapor added by evaporation from the ocean surace is removed by

subtropical highs

region of HPZ within the subtropics range with limited precipatattion at 30N/S

→ between the Hadley and Ferrel cells

El Nino

year to year oscilaation that effects the reduction of pressire gradients across the equaotrial pacific

→ Pressure gradient under normal contidions: trade winds below from HPZ (cold water) zones to warmer LPZ.

→ Pressure graident weakens and Southeast winds displace warm water to HPZ zones, causing a shift or reverse in trade wind direction; less dense water casuses stable stratiifcation and inbiitis upwelling of cold water

right

in the northern hemisphere, air coming from the equator or to the equator is deflected in this direction due to the Coriolis effect

adiabtic expansion

as gas expands without any external source of heat, its temerpature decreases. Air rises in the atmsophere, the pressure decreases, and the air is cooled.

→ decreases water vapor saturation pressure

supersatured

air quality that occurs when air has enough water molecules to form clusters to provide nuclei for raindrops. Highly variable and can be affected by the presence of dust particles

→ water will condense to form large numbers of small water droplets to combine to form large droplets: form clouds

intertropical convergence zone

area on the earth that is a lowpressure belt; tradewinds converge and atmsopheric upwelling occurs.

→ Sea level wind are light and variable

→ cloud cover is persisitent and rain fall high because moist air masses are cooled frequently

hadley and polar cell

areas with persistent strong wind that blows west (in the NH) to the equator(blow east in the SH) are found in parts of these cells

Ferrel, polar

high pressure zones are located between the hadley cells and what cells, and also found in the cell with highest latitutde

subpolar zones

zones where ocean salinity is low despite having low rainfall,

→ Due to frequent freezing and thawing of ice

LPZ

Subtropic Zone

zones where there is a divergence between hadley and ferell cells, casuing HPZ area

→ high evaproation rates

• winds light, clear skies, low rainfall

→ located in between equator and 30N/S(Ferreel Cell)

→ contains the northeasterly trade winds

Temperature Zones

Zones with strong westerly winds, with high rain fall

subject to extratropical cyclones

located in the ferrel cell

winds move easterdly (NH)

polar zones

zones characterized by freezing temps, low rainfall and light winds.

polar easterlies wind

winds below west towards equator

HPZ