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Bio20 - 09 - Physical Oceanography - Color

Bio20 - 09 - Physical Oceanography - color

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22 views44 pages

Bio20 - 09 - Physical Oceanography - Color

Bio20 - 09 - Physical Oceanography - color

Uploaded by

bzzmh29
Copyright
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We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Lecture 9: Physical Oceanography

Learning Objectives:
1. Explain the processes that create surface and
large-scale ocean circulation patterns
2. Explain how tides are formed and describe the
different kinds of tides
3. Describe the ‘anatomy’ of a wave and explain how
they are formed
4. Describe the internal structure of the Earth
5. Explain the theory of plate tectonics and describe
the evidence geologists use to support this theory
6. Name and describe the major geological zones of
the ocean basins
Ocean Circulation
• Some of the differences seen in different parts of
the ocean are due to circulation patterns.
• Circulation can occur in the form of waves, tides,
currents, and gyres.
• Oceanic circulation is caused primarily by wind
patterns.
• Winds are ultimately driven by sunlight energy.
Wind Patterns
Wind Patterns
Coriolis Effect
• Northern Hemisphere à
deflected to the right
• Southern Hemisphere à
deflected to the left
• This deflection is called
the Coriolis Effect.

http://physics.oregonstate.edu/~mcintyre/coriolis/Images/vaneast.GIF
Ekman Transport
• Net transport of water is 90° to the
right (N. Hem.) or left (S. Hem.)
• Drives ocean gyres and more
localized water movement
Surface Currents
• All the major surface currents of open ocean are driven by
wind
• As the winds blow, they push surface waters forming the
world’s major ocean currents
• Due to the Coriolis Effect, the currents curve and form gyres in all of
the major ocean basins
Surface Currents
Surface Currents
Surface currents transport heat around the ocean basins.
Surface Currents
CA Current Gulf Stream
Thermohaline Circulation

Downwelling of dense surface water in


temperate and polar regions
Thermohaline Circulation

Thermohaline circulation (Great Ocean Conveyor): large-


scale circulation patterns driven by density differences
(salinity and temperature); mixes oceans on a timescale of
~1,000yrs
Why Are There Tides?
Tides are the rhythmic rising and falling of sea-surface
levels.
Why Are There Tides?
The bulges of water don’t move; the Earth spins
underneath them!
Types of Tides
Types of Tides
Why Are There Tides?

Bay of Fundy – largest tidal changes in the world!

https://youtu.be/EnDJ6_XpGfo
Waves
The highest point of a wave is the crest, the lowest point is the trough.
The distance between two crests (or two troughs) is the wavelength.
The time is takes for a wave to pass by a set point is the wave period.
Waves
Water particles do not
move along the wave, but
instead move in circles
How Waves Are Formed

https://youtu.be/ZmBNcVvBUNs
Tsunamis

World-wide death toll from tsunamis between 1992 and 2012


Geography of the Ocean Basins
• The world ocean is the dominant feature on the Earth in terms
of total area.
• 61% of the total area of the Northern Hemisphere is ocean, as
is about 80% of the Southern Hemisphere.
• The world ocean is divided into four large basins: Pacific,
Atlantic, Indian, and Arctic.
Structure of the Earth
The Earth is thought to have originated 4.5 billion years
ago from dust accumulated from the Big Bang.
Structure of the Earth
• Due to heat associated with
these events, the early Earth
was likely molten.
• Materials settled by density as
the Earth cooled.
Structure of the Earth
The Earth’s oceans and atmosphere formed last
Internal Structure of the Earth
Continental vs. Oceanic Crust
• Continental crust • Oceanic crust
• Light-colored, mostly • Made up of dark colored
granite mineral, basalt
• Less dense • More dense
• Thicker • Thinner
• Some crust as old as • Younger than
3.8 billion years old. continental crust (less
than 200 million years
old).
Continental Drift
Fig. 2.4

What evidence do you see to


support the hypothesis that the
super continent, Pangaea, once
existed?
The Theory of Plate Tectonics

https://youtu.be/kwfNGatxUJI
The Theory of Plate Tectonics
• Plate tectonics explains the “How” behind
Wegner’s continental drift hypothesis.
• The main features of plate tectonics :
1. The Earth’s surface is covered by a series of
lithospheric plates.
2. The ocean floors are constantly moving; spreading
in the center and sinking at the edges and being
regenerated.
3. Convection currents beneath the plates assist
movement.
4. Heat from the mantle drives these currents.
Major Lithospheric Plates
Evidence for Plate Tectonics

Mid-Oceanic Ridges: transform faults


created when the oceanic crust is
pulled apart
Evidence for Plate Tectonics
The crust gets older further away from the
mid-oceanic ridges.
Evidence for Plate Tectonics
Geomagnetic Anomalies:
At random intervals, the
Earth's magnetic field
reverses.
Evidence of Plate Tectonics
Island Arcs:
Chains of island arcs are usually situated along the
continental side of deep sea trenches.
Major Features of the Sea Floor
Continental Margins
The margins of continents are boundaries between
continental crust and oceanic crust.
1. Continental shelf (most landward)
2. Continental slope
3. Continental rise (most seaward)
The Continental Shelf
• Makes up about 8% of the
ocean’s surface area
• Highest number of species
(biodiversity).
• Width varies from 1 km (0.6
mi) to 750 km (470 mi).
• The shelf ends at the shelf
break
The Continental Slope
• It can be thought of as the “edge” of a continent.
• Begins at the shelf break and extends to the deep sea
floor.
• It is much steeper than the continental shelf and
continental rise.
shelf break

slope
The Continental Rise
It is formed by sediments that have been pushed
down from the continental shelf and slope.
Types of Continental Margins
Passive margins:
• Relatively inactive geologically
• Example: East coast of the U.S.
Types of Margins
• Active Margins:
• Sites of more intense geologic
activity including earthquakes,
volcanoes, and trenches
• Example: West coast of the
U.S.
Deep-Ocean Basins
• Most of the sea floor lies at a depth of 3-5k meters
(10-16.5k feet)
• The abyssal plain rises at a gentle slope towards the
mid-ocean ridge
How deep are the oceans?

https://youtu.be/UwVNkfCov1k

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