Deep ocean circulation

Thermohaline circulation – the Great Ocean Conveyor Belt

NASA THC animation

https://pmm.nasa.gov/education/videos/thermoh
aline-circulation-great-ocean-conveyor-belt

• Since THC involves no contact with the atmosphere (except in upwelling regions), it results in a significant time lag between climate change
and corresponding effects on ocean circulation.
• Climate change can affect THC by – i) surface warming and ii) addition of fresh water (ice melt) – both reduce surface water density – limit
bottom water formation – weakens THC. Collapse of THC: low-probability, high-risk. But weakening of THC (20-50%) – probable.
ES1201 – Earth System Processes - Sayantan Sarkar
 The global distribution of
temperature and precipitation
Chapter 5 – Kump, Kasting, Crane

ES1201 – Earth System Processes - Sayantan Sarkar

Seasonal variability of atmospheric circulation
• Driven by:
• Tilt or obliquity – angle of the earth’s spin axis relative to a line drawn perpendicular to the plane of its orbit

• Atmospheric circulation patterns

show seasonal migration.

• In the summer, T gradient between

equator and poles is reduced –
circulation migrates towards the
poles and is weakened.

• In the winter, T gradient is

enhanced – circulation migrates
towards the equator and is
strengthened.

Notable is the shift of the ITCZ

ES1201 – Earth System Processes - Sayantan Sarkar

Land-ocean contrasts

Heat capacity Other factors

• Amount of heat required to raise • Differential absorption coupled
the T of unit mass of a substance with turbulent mixing and
either at constant volume or downward heat transfer at the
pressure. ocean surface.

• Water has higher heat capacities • Below-surface absorption of solar

than land. energy.

Consequence
Land surface heats up more rapidly than oceans – land also loses heat more rapidly than oceans

ES1201 – Earth System Processes - Sayantan Sarkar

Consequence of the land-ocean contrast
The land/sea breeze cells

During daytime – Sea breeze

• Low pressure over land during day – circulation cell
brings colder air from over the sea.
• Maximum during noon; stops after sunset.
• Can reach ~15 km inland with velocities of 10 m s-1.
• Can reach ~500 m in height.

During nighttime – Land breeze

• Faster cooling of land than sea – higher pressure
over land – circulation cell transfers colder air
towards the sea.
• Continues throughout the night.
• Less intense than sea breeze – temperature
gradient between land and sea is greater during
the day compared to night.
ES1201 – Earth System Processes - Sayantan Sarkar
Global distribution of surface temperature
The global distribution of temperature is a function of latitudinal heating coupled
with moderating effects of ocean bodies
http://climvis.org/content/global/anim/gif/tmp2m.gif

ES1201 – Earth System Processes - Sayantan Sarkar

The effect of continentality on surface temperature
Seasonal extremes in climate are much more pronounced over continents than over oceans.

Largest variability in
the interiors of large
continents

Oceans provide a
moderating influence
Smallest variability over coastal regions thus
over the tropical reducing temperature
oceans extremes
ES1201 – Earth System Processes - Sayantan Sarkar
South Asian monsoon – a special case
The monsoon in South and Southeast Asia arises from:
• The seasonal variability due to differential heating of land and ocean surfaces
• Shift in the ITCZ to ~5ºN over the IGP during NH summer
• Development of high pressure at 20ºS over the Indian Ocean
• Large heating and cooling of the Tibetan Plateau

• Orographic rainfall – rising air due to

geographical features (Western Ghats
for SW monsoon, Eastern Ghats for NE
monsoon, Himalayas for SW monsoon)

• Adiabatic expansion, cooling and

condensation

• SW monsoon brings more rainfall than

NE monsoon – why?

ES1201 – Earth System Processes - Sayantan Sarkar

The hydrologic cycle – overview
Atmosphere: 0.001%

Land: 2.4%

The atmosphere is a
negligibly small reservoir,
but it is critical in
mediating movement
from one reservoir to
another – we’ll see more
examples of this in the
next semester
Oceans: 97.6%
ES1201 – Earth System Processes - Sayantan Sarkar Wikimedia Commons
Distribution of precipitable water and precipitation
amount
http://climvis.org/content/global/anim/gif/pwat_web.gif

• Most rainfall in the tropics due to convective lifting of humid air + frontal lifting due to inter-hemispheric convergence
• Continental areas are dry due to distance from large moisture sources (oceans)
• Windward sides of mountain receive large amounts of rainfall due to orographic lifting – leeward side is dry (called
rainshadow effect; occurs due to compressional heating)

ES1201 – Earth System Processes - Sayantan Sarkar

Distribution of deserts

• Most deserts are centered around 30ºN and 30ºS.

• Consequence of compressional heating of the subsiding branch of the Hadley Cell at these latitudes
• Other factors:
• Dry interiors of large landmasses
• Leeward side of mountains
• Coasts of large continents – cold offshore ocean currents (littoral deserts)
ES1201 – Earth System Processes - Sayantan Sarkar