Coastal processes Flashcards
1
Q
how much of the planet oceans cover?
A
70.8% of the planet
2
Q
What is thermohaline circulation?
A
polar ice sheets melt, eventually creating salt-concentrated seawater that is very cold, very salty, and very
dense water that sinks to the bottom, slowly spreading outward forming circulation cells
* These currents move much slower than surface currents, but they play a role in moving heat around the globe!
If this current ‘cycle’ didn’t
exist, with the Arctic deep
current, the North Atlantic
Ocean’s temperature
would be much colder than
it is now!
3
Q
what makes a body of water dense?
A
the more salt it has
4
Q
What is Wave Refraction?
A
the bending of any
kind of wave as it approaches the shore
