BI 150 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Water Vapor, Coriolis Force, Ekman Spiral
29 Aug 2019
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Document Summary
Reduces variation in water temperature and salinity by providing mixture. Allows many organisms to disperse via floating, especially their eggs and larvae. Flushes away body wastes, and replenishes food item. It is the layer of gases, water vapor, and particles surrounding our planet. Most movements of oceanic waters are caused by air movements, or winds. : unequal heating of atmospheric air at different latitudes. Caused by the transfer of energy from wind to water. Often start as small ripples, but can get bigger depending on wind speed, wind duration, and fetch (distance of wind/water contact). Can travel at very fast speeds (>450 miles/hr). Ocean surface currents are caused by wind. Gyres are responsible for movement of huge water masses among continents, mixing temperature and salinity among distant regions. Although caused by constant wind currents, surface water currents have a deflection in their path. The deflection is called the coriolis effect, which is caused by the rotation of earth.
