Blue Planet – Introduction to Marine Biology: Deep Ocean Currents and Vertical Motion

These flashcards cover key concepts related to deep ocean currents and vertical motion from the lecture notes.

What drives deep ocean currents?

Deep ocean currents are driven by density gradients.

Define thermohaline circulation.

Thermohaline circulation is the movement of water due to differences in temperature and salinity.

What causes upwelling?

Upwelling is caused by the upward movement of water, often due to wind-driven horizontal movement.

What is downwelling?

Downwelling is the downward motion of water that supplies the deeper ocean with dissolved gases.

What is Ekman transport?

Ekman transport is the wind-induced vertical circulation where each layer of water moves at an angle to the layer above it.

What is the primary productivity in the ocean?

Primary productivity is the synthesis of organic compounds from CO2, particularly by phytoplankton, being crucial for biological productivity.

What are the two main regions where the densest ocean water is formed?

The densest ocean water is formed near the poles, particularly in the Weddell Sea of Antarctica and the Greenland Sea.

What is the role of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC)?

AMOC is responsible for the northward flow of warm, salty water in the upper Atlantic and the southward flow of colder, deep waters.

How does downwelling relate to gyres?

Downwelling occurs at the center of subtropical ocean gyres due to pressure gradients induced by the 'hill' of water.

What happens to ocean heat distribution if the thermohaline circulation weakens?

If the thermohaline circulation weakens, it could disrupt the distribution of ocean heat, potentially leading to significant climate changes.