The following figure (a) is a vertical section of temperature distribution in th

Question

The following figure (a) is a vertical section of temperature distribution in the western Atlantic Ocean. This pattern is typical of all ocean basins (although the details vary from ocean to ocean). Broken line isotherms (contours of equal temperature) represent intervals of 1 degree C, while solid line isotherms are at 5 degree C intervals. Figure (b) shows temperature profiles (I and II) along lines A and B in figure (a). 1) Match the profiles in figure (b) with the vertical lines A and B in figure (a) and explain why you chose what you did: 2) What can you say about the vertical distribution of temperature at high latitudes? Do not rely solely on this figure for your answer! a) Explain why water at 4 degree C can be overlain by colder water in a freshwater lake in a gravitationally stable situation. Could such a situation develop in the oceans? Why, or why not? (b) Explain why a temperature profile from a freshwater lake will not show temperatures decreasing with depth to values less than 4 degree C. a) The value of g is 9.8 ms^-2. Use the hydrostatic equation to find the pressure at a depth of 100 m. Give your answer in Nm^-2, Pa, kPa, and decibars: b) Approximately what pressure values do you find in most of the deep ocean floors? In ocean trenches?

Explanation / Answer

4. Profile 2 matches with vertical line B. Explanation : in profile 2, the line passes through 25 degrees and also in line B. At higher latitudes, the variation is high and there is a difference in vertical distribution because of the fact that deep ocean is not well mixed.

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