Composition
Density
Mass/Volume - how many particles packed into a volume of seawater
Mixed Layer
Upper 200m of the ocean that is low density - warm, low salinity, light
Trade Wind
Drives transverse currents - Easterly winds at the equator and Westerly winds at the mid latitudes
Gyre
Rotating surface current - rotates clockwise in northern hemisphere and anticlockwise in southern hemisphere
Reservoir
Location where carbon is stored for some time
H2CO3
Carbonic acid - forms when carbon dioxide reacts with water in the ocean
Salinity
How many salt particles are dissolved into a volume of water
Deep Layer
Bottom layer of the ocean that is high density - cold, saline, dark
Coriolis effect
Deflection of wind/water moving North/South due to Earth's spin
Transverse Current
Part of a gyre that moves East/West across an ocean basin pushed by Ekman transport
Marine Snow
Falling remains of dead shells and marine organisms that move carbon into the deep layer and sea floor
CaCO3
Calcium carbonate - mineral that shells are made of - requires organisms to have access to carbonate ions in the ocean
Insolation Angle
Angle of incoming sunlight - 90 degrees overhead at equator lower in the high latitudes
Precipitation > Evaporation
Decreases salinity - occurs at the equator due to monsoon rainfall despite high insolation angle
Ekman spiral
Movement of water layers at different angles deeper into the ocean due to interaction of friction and coriolis effect
Western Boundary Current
Takes warm water away from the equator towards the poles at the surface - narrow, deep, fast and warm
Physical Pump
Movement of carbon into and out of the ocean by diffusion and dissolving of carbon dioxide
CO32-
Carbonate ion - made when carbon dioxide reacts with water - used by living things to make shells
Evaporation > Precipitation
Causes salinity to increase - occurs at the mid latitudes where insolation angle is still high and rain levels are low
Low Density
Warm low salinity water - water particles have more kinetic energy so are spaced wide apart
Ekman transport
Net movement of water at 90 degrees to the direction of wind on the surface - to the left in southern hemisphere and to the right in northern hemisphere
Eastern Boundary Current
Takes cold water away from the poles and moves it back to the equator - wide, shallow, slow and cold
Biological Pump
Movement of carbon into and out of the ocean by living organisms - photosynthesis brings carbon in, respiration and decay moves carbon out
HCO3-
Bicarbonate ion - builds up during ocean acidification since the equilibrium reaction is pushed backwards
Pycnocline
Steep gradient increase in density between the mixed layer and deep layer - keeps these layers from mixing together
High Density
Cold high salinity water - water particles have less kinetic energy so are packed close together
Coastal Upwelling
Movement of water up from deep layer due to Ekman transport of surface water away from the coast
Equatorial Upwelling
Upwelling of water at the equator due to diverging surface currents in the north and south hemispheres
Ooze
Layer of dead remains that build up on the ocean floor - gets compacted and turned into limestone
Equilibrium Reaction
Reactions that can be reversed when too much product is formed