L2 thermohaline properties

Question 1

what is practical salinity (Sp)?

Answer 1

It is a proxy for the true salinty → a function of temperature, pressure and conductivity. is measured using a standardized formula based on the electrical conductivity of the water (K15 → the ratio at a tamperature of 15℃)

Question 2

What is absolute salinty?

Answer 2

a new definition that includes the limitations (minor trace elemenents) in practical salinty. it is normally expressed in the unit of g/kg.

Question 3

what is TOES-10?

Answer 3

the Thermodynamic Equation Of Seawater established in 2010 → it is a standard of seawater.

Question 4

What determines surface salinity?

Answer 4

precipitacion ( - ) and evaporation ( + )

Question 5

what is an isohaline?

Answer 5

lines that join points of equal salinity in an aquatic system – they tend to follow the lines of latitude (except in the atlantic)

Question 6

How is density measured?

Answer 6

it is not usually measured because it is too difficult. the standard is to perform in situ measurements of conductivity, temperature and pressure and with these calculate the density.

Question 7

what is the density anomaly or sigma (S,t,p)?

Answer 7

a quantity to measure density in seawater at a given temperature – sigma-t is the real density of seawater -1000 ( if p = 1.025 → σt = 25.0)

Question 8

what is this for? σ(S, t, p) = ρ(S, t, p) - 1000 kg/m3

Answer 8

calculating density

Question 9

what happens when studying surface layers in terms of calculating density?

Answer 9

the compressibility is neglected

Question 10

what is the potential density?

Answer 10

the density a volume of water would have if it were raised adiabatically to the surface and with no changes in salinity.