Properties of Seawater 2

Flashcards for Marine Ecology and Oceanography lecture on Properties of Seawater.

Ocean isotherms

Lines of equal temperature in the ocean, generally trending east-west but deflected by currents.

Mixed layer

Surface layer heated by insolation and mixed by wind, leading to stratification.

Thermocline

Layer in which water temperature and density change rapidly with depth.

Halocline

A zone of rapid change of salinity with water depth.

Density

Amount of mass per unit volume, dependent on temperature, salinity, and pressure.

Pycnocline

Layer within the water column where water density changes rapidly with depth.

Saturation Value

Amount of gas at equilibrium that can be dissolved in a volume of water.

Solubility

Measure of a substance's tendency to dissolve and go into solution.

Undersaturated water

Water with a gas content below the saturation value; it can dissolve more gas.

Saturated water

Water that contains as much dissolved gas as it can hold in equilibrium, its gas content is at its saturation value.

Supersaturated water

Water that contains more dissolved gas than it can hold in equilibrium; excess gas will come out of solution.

Oxygen minimum layer

Layer occurring at about 150 to 1500m below the surface, coincides with the pycnocline, oxygen is lowest here.

Anoxic waters

Waters that contain no oxygen and are inhabited by anaerobic organisms (bacteria).

Photic zone

The part of the water column penetrated by sunlight.

Aphotic zone

The part of the water column below light penetration and permanently dark.

Hydrological Cycle

Describes the exchange of water between the ocean, land, and atmosphere.