L3 mass and water type conservation of volume and salt

Question 1

how do we identify a water body?

Answer 1

through its T, S value

Question 2

what is a water mass?

Answer 2

a identifiable body of water with a common formation history, whose physical properties differ from surrounding water and which originated in a particular region in the ocean.

Question 3

what defines a water mass?

Answer 3

a range of T and S values

Question 4

how can water masses be formed?

Answer 4

1. convection → the surface density is increased by the evaporation or or cooling which causes sinking of water to a depth of density equilibrium
2. Subduction → with a combination of wind and cooling, vertical displacement pushes water down along the isopycnal (layers stratified based on their densities) surfaces and is injected into the ocean interior.
3. subsurface mixing → 2 or more water masses mix and create anew one.
4. Importation from marginal seas → through advection.

Question 5

what is a T-S diagram?

Answer 5

A graph with Temperature on the y axis and salinity on the x axis this is used to show the movement of water vertically because it shows the the density change → density increases from the upper left to the lower right.
It is used to identify water masses and water types.

Question 6

If temperature rises what happens to density?

Answer 6

it decreases! and if it drops it rises

Question 7

if salinity rises what happens to density?

Answer 7

it also rises!

Question 8

What does a dot on a TS Diagram indicate?

Answer 8

a water type

Question 9

what does a smooth curve on a TS Diagram indicate?

Answer 9

A water mass

Question 10

What considerations should we have assuming there is mixing in 2 water types

Answer 10

1) whatever the proportion between the 2 types, the values for T and S obtained from the from the mixing, in a TS diagram will be on the line joining the T/S values of the 2 water types.
2) the position of the point along the straight line will be determined by the relative proportion of the 2 water types (the greatest contribution will be by the water type with the point closest to the point considered).

Question 11

what is core water?

Answer 11

the extreme peak in a factor on a TS diagram and on other things representing depth profiles (like the curve to the lowest salinity).

Question 12

what is AABW?

Answer 12

Antarctic bottom water

Question 13

AAIW?

Answer 13

Antarctic intermediate water

Question 14

SACW?

Answer 14

south Atlantic central water

Question 15

what is E, P and R in freshwater and salt output and input?

Answer 15

E = evaporation
P = rainfall
R = river inputs

Question 16

a summary of the process of salt and freshwater transportation

Answer 16

the supply of freshwater either by R or P in the intake areas is transported to the the areas of evaporation. The salinity is therefore in a steady state.

Question 17

what is the freshwater balance equation?

Answer 17

E-(P+R)

Question 18

what is the largest freshwater production area?

Answer 18

the tropical belt