Antarctic to Sub Artic - ABW
- coldest and deepest H2O in Ocean
Antarctic Surface H2O
Between 40 degrees south and Antarctica
60 - 80 meters in Atlantic to 150 mm in Pacific
(Seasonal Range)
Water Mass Defined by Temperature, Pressure & Salinity
Temperature at 1.8 C to 3.5 C
Salinity: 33% 34.7%
(Difiers in Atlantic & Pacific)
Circumpolar Mass - Belt
500 - 600 in deep - (surface H20)
.5 C @ 34.7 salinity
Differs in Atlantic and Pacific. Much mixing of this ?0 in both salinity and 02
AIW (Antarctic Intermediate ?0 less dense than ABW)
(ABW-North of Antarctic Convergence (photo convergence)
West Wind Drift by product
Temperature at 1.9 C at 34.62
Medl-hO - Warm and Salinty
13 C at 37.0 saline (why?)
Much mixing in straits of Gibraltar
H20 is Saline - off of Rub - Al - Kali
NA DW North Atlantic Drift (Current) is the cause
NA BW not found in Pacific
(No cold current ofBeiring sea)
Water Masses are dependent upon Salinity, Temperature,
And Pressure if-
NA Central IhO (30-40 degrees North)
Temperature = 8 degrees Celsius at 35 Salinity
Temperature = 19 degrees Celsius at 36.7 Saline
South of Greenland & Iceland to Cape Hatteras & Bay of Biscay
Formed in N/A (interaction with the atmosphere)
H20 sink in density slope
Thickness oflense proportionate to width of currents (900m thick)
In Saragasso Sea (200m to 900m)
Seasonal Convergence
South American Central HzO (30 - 40 degrees south)
Temperature 6 degrees Celsius at 34.5 Salinity
Temperature 18 degrees Celsius at 36.0 Salinity
(Greater Landmass in North than Southern Hemisphere)
Argentina to Angola
Because ofIfcO Temperature found as far north as 5 degrees north)
Thickness of == 600 miles (max)
Wider in east northwest in west Antarctica convergence
Ocean Circulation
a. Base surface circulation of oceans is wind driven ocean currents roughly
conforming to planetary wind and wind circulation
b. Ocean circulation is circular or gyral shaped in all major oceans
c. Gyre may take a figure 8 form d. Ocean surface current has thermal properties derived from winds
generating the current