the oceans and local climate
DESCRIPTION
The Oceans And Local Climate. Susan Howard Research Associate Earth & Space Research www.esr.org. R ice H eat P ack vs. H ot W ater B ottle. Heating of Earth comes from Sun This heating is UNEVEN The uneven heating causes the air and ocean to MOVE - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
THE OCEANS AND LOCAL CLIMATE
Susan HowardResearch AssociateEarth & Space Researchwww.esr.org
Rice Heat Pack
VS. Hot Water Bottle
• Heating of Earth comes from Sun
• This heating is UNEVEN
• The uneven heating causes the air and
ocean to MOVE
• Because the earth is rotating, the motion
CURVES
REVIEW!
BASIC ATMOSPHERIC CIRCULATION
BASIC OCEAN CIRCULATION
THE OCEANS AND LOCAL CLIMATE
• Specific Heat
• Heat from Ocean Currents
• Upwelling/Downwelling
• Definition: Specific heat is how much energy is needed raise the temperature of something.
SPECIFIC HEAT
HIGH the specific heat: heats up and cools down SLOWLY.
LOW the specific heat: heats up and cools down QUICKLY.
Specific Heat of common things:
SPECIFIC HEAT
Material Specific heatLiquid Water 4.18Water vapor 2.11Dry air 1.01Basalt 0.84Granite 0.79Iron 0.45Lead 0.13
Which heat’s up the quickest?
Rice Heat Pack
VS. Hot Water Bottle
Has anyone changed their mind?
The oceans are WATER and have a HIGH SPECIFIC HEAT.
They heat up slowly, but cool off slowly as well.
WHY DO WE CARE?
Oceans have an AMAZING ability to store heat!
TAKE A LOOK AT ANOTHER TWO LOCATIONS AT NEARLY THE SAME LATITUDE
Nations Online Project: http://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/usa_map.htm
DAILY HIGH AND LOW TEMPERATURE
www.unca.edu/~dmiller/Chapter%2003-Air%20Temperature.ppt
Seattle: High 47 F , Low 37FBismarck: High 23 F , Low 2F
From Weather channel: www.weather.com
Average Jan Temperatures
The ocean tends to stores heat during the summer months, and slowly releases it during the winter.
This is why coastal regions tend to have milder climates than areas that are far inland.
Continental interiors, far from the ocean, experience greater extremes of temperature than coastal regions
Summer Winter
OCEAN SEA SURFACE TEMPERATURES AT NEAH BAY
The lowest recorded temperature in Bismarck was -45°F The lowest recorded in Seattle temperature was 10°F
From Weather channel: www.weather.com
The ocean near Seattle helps to keep the temperature more even.
NO WATER, LARGE EXTREMES
DESERT DAY/NIGHT CYCLE MOVIE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKzWxD0NRNo
THE WINDY COAST – OCEAN BREEZES EXPLAINED!
http://www.nc-climate.ncsu.edu/edu/k12/.breezes
Daily differences in heating & cooling in land vs water leads to on and offshore breezes!
Day: Land heats up
Night:Land cools down
Ocean is Constant
Ocean is Constant
SEA BREEZE MOVIE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ULgGOdoY8Q
THE OCEANS AND LOCAL CLIMATE
• Specific Heat
• Heat from Ocean Currents
• Upwelling/Downwelling
BASIC OCEAN CIRCULATION
Some of the currents are moving warm water – and some are moving cool water
From http://tornado.sfsu.edu/geosciences/classes/m356/OceanCurrents/Global_currents.jpg
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hu_Ga0JYFNg
CURRENT MOVIE
North Pacific Sea Surface Temperature (SST) Map.
Water temperature bulletin for the North Pacific on 13 April 2011. Credits: Mercator Ocean.
North Atlantic Sea Surface Temperature (SST) Map.
North Atlantic sea surface temperature from satellites for January 2008. Source: NOC/UK Met-Office OSTIA data.
LETS COMPARE TWO PLACE ON THE ATLANTIC OCEAN.
Halifax, Nova Scotia
London, England
LETS COMPARE TWO PLACES NEAR THE OCEAN
Halifax, Nova Scotia• Latitude 44.67o N• Average Jan temp High 29oF Low 13oF
London, England• Latitude 51.5072° N• Average Jan Temp High 5ooF Low 41oF
http://www.holiday-weather.com
LETS COMPARE TWO PLACE NEAR THE OCEAN
NORTH ATLANTIC TEMPERATURE MAP2oC = 35.6 oF 10oC = 50 oF
North Atlantic sea surface temperature from satellites for January 2008. Source: NOC/UK Met-Office OSTIA data.
THE WEST COAST HAS A DIFFERENT CLIMATE THAN THE EAST, PARTLY DUE TO THE OCEAN CURRENTS.
http://www.ospo.noaa.gov/Products/ocean/sst/contour/
• Gulf stream and Weather movie
EAST COAST WEATHER
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-zO8L66uyg
CURRENT OCEAN TEMPERATURE IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST
13oC = 55.4oF 9.7oC = 49.46oF
THE OCEANS AND LOCAL CLIMATE
• Specific Heat
• Ocean currents
• Upwelling/downwelling
UPWELLING AND DOWNWELLING
Source: http://www.pifsc.noaa.gov/qrb/2010_06/article_05.php
Ocean Basics: Temperature is not constant with depth. The deeper you go, the colder it gets!
THERE ARE MORE NUTRIENTS IN COLD/DEEPER WATER
HIGH Nutrients
LOW Nutrients
UPWELLING
UPWELLING
http://solspot.com/content/surf-articles/adam-wright/ocean-science-101-upwelling-downwelling-and-other-random-acts-of-shrinkage
UPWELLING MOVING
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Al8WrXkLuL4
http://centerforoceansolutions.org/climate/impacts/ocean-circulation/
http://agate.coas.oregonstate.edu/ocs/detailed_upwelling.html
http://agate.coas.oregonstate.edu/ocs/detailed_upwelling.html
UPWELLING AREAS ARE HIGHLY PRODUCTIVE AREAS!
Although coastal upwelling regions account for only one percent of the ocean surface, they contribute roughly 50 percent of the world's fisheries landings.
NOAA: http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/explorations/02quest/background/upwelling/upwelling.html
SOMETIMES, WE GET DOWNWELLING TOO
SOURCE: http://www.naylamp.dhn.mil.pe/enlaces/afloramiento_costero.htm
UPWELLING & DOWNWELLING INFLUENCE :
• Temperature• Fishing• Weather patterns
THE OCEANS AND LOCAL CLIMATE• Specific Heat: land and ocean differences coastal climate is milder: warmer in winter/cooler in summer
• Heat from Ocean Currents affects a region’s climate
• Upwelling/Downwelling affects temperature as well fish habitat.