1. Components of the Climate System Atmosphere Ocean Biosphere Geosphere Image from NASA

2. Atmosphere & Ocean Circulation Atmospheric Circulation –Depends on density Ocean Surface Circulation –Depends on the wind Deep Ocean Circulation –Depends on density

3. Why is Ocean Circulation Important? Transport ~ 20% of latitudinal heat –Equator to poles Transport nutrients and organisms Influences weather and climate Influences commerce

4. Temperature Structure of Ocean thermocline

5. Ocean Circulation

6. Wind-drive ocean surface currents Wind driven surface currents How fast? A few miles/hr (Gulf Stream off of Miami = 4.5 mph) How much? Total water in ocean surface circulation = about 100 Amazon Rivers (20 million m 3 /s).

7. Atmosphere & Ocean Circulation Atmospheric Circulation –Depends on density Ocean Surface Circulation –Depends on the wind Deep Ocean Circulation –Depends on density

8. Sea Surface Temperature http://www.ldeo.columbia.edu/dees/ees/climate/slides/sst_march.gif

9. Ocean Salinity http://www.ldeo.columbia.edu/dees/ees/climate/slides/sal_march.gif http://ingrid.ldgo.columbia.edu/

10. Temperature-Salinity (density) Diagram

11. Thermohaline Circulation North Atlantic Deep Water (NADW 15 million m 3 of near surface water descend into the deep ocean each second.

12. Thermohaline Circulation - The Ocean Conveyor

13. Equatorial to polar heat transport and water flow

14. Ocean – Atmosphere Circulation

15. UNEQUAL HEATING OF EARTH BUT – Outgoing solar radiation is not as uneven