Term
| Outgassing of Earth’s interior.... |
|
Definition
followed
by condensation of water vapor |
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Term
Bombardment of Earth by icy
comets prior to |
|
Definition
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|
Term
| Major Constituents of Seawater |
|
Definition
Water H2O (96.5%)
– Sodium Na+ (1.1%)
– Chloride Cl- (1.9%)
– Magnesium Mg2+ (0.1%)
– Sulfate SO4
2- (0.3%)
– Calcium Ca2+ (0.04%)
– Bicarbonate HCO3
- (0.01%) |
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Term
|
Definition
in parts per thousand (o/oo)
= grams of ions/kg of solution |
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Term
|
Definition
Surface layer
Thermocline transition zone:
Deep cold zone: |
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Term
|
Definition
– Warmed by the Sun
– Currents are wind driven
– Variations in temperature and solutes are blended
rapidly in a mixing zone |
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|
Term
| Thermocline transition zone: |
|
Definition
Lacks motions of surface water
– Temperature decreases with depth |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
– Begins at depths of 1km - 1.5km below the surface
and extends down to the ocean floor
– Water temperatures near 0oC, but higher salinity
prevents freezing
– Temperature and salinity values uniform |
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Term
| Surface ocean layer is in |
|
Definition
direct contact
with the atmosphere and warmed by
Sun’s energy |
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|
Term
|
Definition
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|
Term
|
Definition
horizontally by wind
and wave action: |
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|
Term
|
Definition
currents and creates
gyres |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
surface
where evaporation occurs |
|
|
Term
Average
Annual Seasurface
Temperatures
Vary By |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| Thermohaline circulation driven by differences |
|
Definition
in
temperature and salinity of ocean water |
|
|
Term
Surface
Ocean
Layer
Exchanges |
|
Definition
Oxygen
And
Carbondioxide
With
Atmosphere |
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Term
| Inhabitants Of The Surface Layer |
|
Definition
| Phytoplankton and zooplankton |
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|
Term
| Phytoplankton and zooplankton |
|
Definition
are microscopic
organisms that inhabit the surface ocean layer
within the euphotic (sunlit) zone |
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|
Term
|
Definition
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|
Term
| Phytoplankton (typically diatoms) |
|
Definition
– Photosynthetic; take in CO2 and release O2
– Primary producers in the oceanic food chain
– Often give green discoloration to water due to the
presence of chlorophyll |
|
|
Term
Zooplankton (foraminiferans, radiolarians and
dinoflagellates) |
|
Definition
| Microscopic organisms that feed on phytoplankton |
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|
Term
| Photosynthesis near surface depletes |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
|
Definition
at depth
due to reduction in photosynthesis
and dissolution of carbonate |
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|
Term
|
Definition
surface and
decreases with depth |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
not a smooth, flat surface but
rather is distorted due to several forces: |
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|
Term
Sea level is not a smooth, flat surface but
rather is distorted due to several forces: |
|
Definition
Wind
– Tides
– Effects of sea floor bathymetry on local gravity |
|
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Term
| Sea level is also changed by: |
|
Definition
Water balance in reservoirs (ice caps)
– Shape of ocean basins |
|
|
Term
Satellite Radar
Altimeter Measures |
|
Definition
Variations In Sea
Surface Elevations |
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|
Term
| Sea Surface Heights Relative To |
|
Definition
Earth’s Geoid
As Recorded By Radar Altimeter |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
Sea Level Has Risen and Fallen on a
Global Scale Many Times Over the Last
600 Million Years of Earth History |
|
|
Term
Factors That Affect Sea
Level Changes |
|
Definition
Glacial/interglacial cycles
(tens of thousands of years) |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
water is removed
from oceans and stored on land as
glacial ice, causing sea level to drop:
– During peak of last ice age ~18,000
years ago, sea level was 100m (330 ft)
lower than today |
|
|
Term
Rise in global sea
level since the |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
Two supercontinents over the last 600
million years: |
|
Definition
– Rodinia (~800 m.y. ago)
– Pangaea (~300 m.y. ago) |
|
|
Term
Supercontinents would assemble, break
apart, and reassemble again over time
periods of hundreds of millions of years: |
|
Definition
This has a profound effect on sea level
changes |
|
|
Term
When continents are assembled into
supercontinent: |
|
Definition
– Insulation of supercontinent traps mantle
heat below
– Supercontinent becomes elevated
– Sea level drops along continental margins |
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|
Term
| When supercontinent breaks apart |
|
Definition
Margins of continents subside
– Sea level rises along coastlines |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
Jason-1 and Jason-2
satellites track changing sea-level using radar
altimetry |
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Term
| Coastal System Components |
|
Definition
Most of Earth’s coastlines are relatively new
and constantly changing |
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|
Term
| Inputs To The Coastal Environment |
|
Definition
Solar energy:
Atmospheric winds
Climatic regimes:
Nature of coastal rock
Human activities: |
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Term
|
Definition
| Drives the atmosphere and hydrosphere |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Generate ocean currents and waves |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| – Strongly influence coastal geomorphic processes |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Determines rates of erosion and sediment production |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| Disrupt natural processes |
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|
Term
|
Definition
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|
Term
|
Definition
Tides are the daily rise and fall of ocean
waters |
|
|
Term
Caused by gravitational attraction of the
Moon, and to a lesser extent the Sun, on
the Earth: |
|
Definition
Portion of Earth’s surface facing the Moon
experiences greater gravitational pull,
causing a bulge in the ocean surface
– On far side, ocean water is pulled less
strongly, causing a second bulge |
|
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Term
|
Definition
Moon’s Gravitational Pull
On The Earth |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
|
|
Term
|
Definition
high-tide occurs
when coastline
passes under bulge |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
coastline is between
bulges |
|
|
Term
High Tides Are
Highest During |
|
Definition
Spring
Tides When Earth,
Moon And Sun Are
Aligned; This Occurs
Approximately Twice
A Month |
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|
Term
|
Definition
|
|
Term
|
Definition
|
|
Term
Solar tide (bulge)
adds to the lunar
tide (bulge) |
|
Definition
Resulting composite
bulge produces the
highest tides |
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|
