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Ocean Salinity Hand Written Notes

The document discusses ocean salinity and temperature, detailing salinity's average concentration of ~35 ppt and its major components, with factors affecting salinity including evaporation and precipitation. It outlines the horizontal and vertical distribution of salinity, noting variations across different ocean regions and depths. Additionally, it covers temperature distribution, highlighting the impact of latitude, land-water distribution, and ocean currents on temperature variations in the ocean.

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Pardhan Ji
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3 views3 pages

Ocean Salinity Hand Written Notes

The document discusses ocean salinity and temperature, detailing salinity's average concentration of ~35 ppt and its major components, with factors affecting salinity including evaporation and precipitation. It outlines the horizontal and vertical distribution of salinity, noting variations across different ocean regions and depths. Additionally, it covers temperature distribution, highlighting the impact of latitude, land-water distribution, and ocean currents on temperature variations in the ocean.

Uploaded by

Pardhan Ji
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Ocean Salinity and Ocean Temperature

Salinity of Ocean Waters:

●​ Salinity: Concentration of dissolved salts in seawater, measured in PPT (Parts Per


Thousand).
●​ Average salinity: ~35 ppt

Major Salts:

●​ Sodium chloride: ~77.7% (most abundant)


●​ Magnesium chloride: ~10.9%
●​ Calcium sulphate: ~3.6%
●​ Calcium carbonate: ~0.3% (least abundant due to low solubility and biological
use)
●​ Isohaline: Imaginary line joining points of equal salinity.

Factors Affecting Salinity:

●​ Evaporation: Increases salinity


●​ Precipitation & river influx: Decrease salinity
●​ Winds & currents: Redistribute salinity
●​ Enclosed seas: Higher salinity (Red Sea, Persian Gulf)

Horizontal Distribution:

●​ Open oceans: 33–37 ppt


●​ Subtropics: Highest salinity (high evaporation, low rainfall)
●​ Equator: Moderated salinity due to heavy rainfall
●​ Polar regions: Low salinity due to melting ice
Vertical Distribution:

●​ General trend: Salinity increases with depth


●​ Halocline: Zone of rapid salinity change with depth
●​ Latitudinal variation:
○​ High latitudes: Increase with depth
○​ Mid-latitudes: Increase then decrease
○​ Equator: Low surface salinity

Salinity of Marginal Seas:

●​ North Sea: High (North Atlantic Drift)


●​ Baltic Sea: Low (river influx)
●​ Red Sea & Mediterranean: High (strong evaporation)
●​ Bay of Bengal: Lower than Arabian Sea (river inflow)
●​ Arabian Sea: Higher (high evaporation)

Temperature Distribution in Oceans:

Factors Affecting Temperature:

●​ Latitude: Decreases from equator to poles


●​ Land–water distribution: Northern Hemisphere warmer
●​ Winds: Cause upwelling and cooling
●​ Ocean currents: Warm currents raise, cold currents lower temperature

Vertical Temperature Zones:

●​ Surface layer (Epilimnion): Warm, up to ~500 m


●​ Thermocline (Metalimnion): Rapid temperature fall (500–1000 m)
●​ Deep layer: Cold, stable
Horizontal Temperature Distribution:

●​ Average surface temperature: ~27°C


●​ Latitudinal decrease: ~0.5°C per degree latitude
●​ Northern Hemisphere: Warmer than Southern
●​ Tropics warmer than equator: Due to cloud cover and rainfall at equator
●​ Currents: Warm increase, cold decrease temperature

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