Understanding of:

the effects of water properties on density,

the effects of density on ocean circulation,

stability and its relation to density,

natural processes that influence water properties, density, and stability in the ocean.

The following data were taken from a sampling station located at 79° N, 145° W:

a. Graph the data in the above table in the following boxes (T & S in one box, density in the other).

Is the water column represented by these data stable or unstable? How can you tell?

Does the temperature or the salt content control the density? How can you tell?

How deep is the wind-mixed layer? How can you tell?

Imagine that soon after these data were taken, the sea surface cooled enough to begin to form sea ice. How would the ice formation affect the salinity and density of the water just below the ice? Explain your reasoning.

Would ice formation at the surface increase or decrease the stability of the water column? Explain your answer.

Later in the season, the ice melts. How is the salinity, density, and stability of the water column affected by this process? Explain.

Now, after all of the ice melts, the sun shines for awhile and the water column experiences heating at the surface. Would surface heating increase or decrease the stability of the water column? Explain.

Temperature and salinity profiles from the Atlantic Climate Change Experiment are included at the end of your homework set. These profiles were copied from http://flux.ocean.washington.edu/. For questions 2 - 6, consider both Profile 1 and Profile 2.

Discuss whether the water columns in Profile 1 & 2 are stable? How can you tell? What information do you need to determine whether a water column is stable or not?

With a highlighter, highlight and label the thermocline in both profiles.

Highlight and label the least stable part of the water column.

Is there a well-defined mixed layer at the surface? If so, how deep is it? (Answer for both profiles) Explain your answer.

Profile 1 and Profile 2 were taken by the same drifter a couple months apart (see the date stamp on the figures). Speculate on what processes may be responsible for the change in the water column.

Convection is density driven flow. Explain the connection between stability and convection.

Speculate on where in the World Ocean you would see deep convection. Where would the upper part of the water column always be stable? Explain your reasoning.

Explain why heating the atmosphere from below is an efficient way to distribute heat in the atmosphere, while heating the oceans from above is an inefficient way to distribute heat downward in the oceans.