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

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 th century BC ,Pytheas of Massalia, a Greek ship captain, explored eastern Atlantic
Okeanos (Greek for “Great River”) because he found the ocean flowing south (Canary Current) and thought it was a river too wide to cross.

4. Temperature Structure of Ocean
thermocline

5. Ocean Circulation

6. Wind-drive ocean surface currents
Wind driven surface currents
Wind-drive ocean surface currents
London = 51 deg N James Bay = 51 deg. N
Edinburgh = 55deg N, same latitude as Ontario’s Polar Bear Provincial Park
Total water in ocean surface circulation = about 100 Amazon Rivers (20 million m3/s). It requires years to complete cycle.
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 m3/s).

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

8. Sea Surface Temperature

9. Ocean Salinity
AVERAGE = 35 ppm or 3.5% denser

10. Temperature-Salinity (density) Diagram

11. Thermohaline Circulation
North Atlantic Deep Water (NADW
15 million m3 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
M&M fourth edition, solar constant = rate of solar radiation on surface perpendicular to the sun’s rays at the top of the atmosphere, 1.97 cal/cm2/min or 1372 watts/m2
Difference between perihelion (2.04 cal/me/min) vs 1.91 cal/m2/min at aphelion
1 watt/hr = 860 cal