Chemical Oceanpgraphy PLEASE DO NOT ANSWER THIS QUESTION UNLESS YOU UNDERSTAND B

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Chemical Oceanpgraphy

PLEASE DO NOT ANSWER THIS QUESTION UNLESS YOU UNDERSTAND BOTH CHEMISTRY AND OCEANOGRAPHY.

6) Next set of questions have to do with interpreting trends in 02 and AOU (last graph of the set): 2d) How do O2 and AOU vary in the deep waters (2000-6000 m) from N. Atlantic to N. Pacific? What explains these trends among the deep waters? 2e) Where are OMZs located? At what depth range do they occur? What processes explain these features? 2f) Why are the AOU values in surface waters close to zero? What explains the increase in AOU with depth and the maxima at around 1000 to 2000m?

Explanation / Answer

Answer:

2d) In N. Atlantic, the O2 is generally higher in deeper water. In 60 degree latitude, the value is slightly towards decreasing trend at 2000m depth. But it increases with depth and at 30 degree latitude, the values are higher, which is opposite in case of AOU which is generally lower in deeper water. In N. Pacific the O2 is generally towards decreasing trend in deeper water but AOU shows a higher trend, which is quite opposite to O2 variation in deeper water in N. Pacific.

2e) OMZs (oxygen minimum zones) are found worldwide but are mostly found along western coasts of the continents where the interplay of physical and biological processes lower the oxygen concentration.

OMZs are generally found at depth ranges from 200 to 1500 m.

Large scale ocean circulation and both physical and biological processes control the oxygen minimum zone distribution. Ekman Transport is one of the processes that control this feature.

2f) In surface waters, water column remains in very close contact with atmosphere, and oxygen concentrations are close to saturation, and that is why the AOU values are close to zero.

In contrast, in deeper waters the water remains almost out of contact from the atmosphere for a long period of time, and large positive values can be seen.

Maximum value of AOU at depth 1000-2000 m in Northern Pacific deep water can be explained by formation of the water mass by oldest Antarctic Bottom Water and Lower Circumpolar Deeper Water, transformed by mixing to Pacific Deep Water, and then brought upward by upwelling.

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