Oceanography & Climate
Synthesis Question: If all of the oceans currents changed direction, would they then heat the equator and cool the poles?
• Why does the equator receive more heat than the poles?
• Why is heat transported from the equator to the poles?• Why must any ocean current move heat from where it
is warmer to where it is cooler?
• Which way do theses currents transport heat?
• What of the overturning circulation? Note the deep water formation in both poles.
• What is heat transport?
• Figure 5.11 Northward heat transport for 1988 in each ocean. From Houghton et al., (1996: 212), which used data from Trenberth and Solomon (1994).
• What does sign mean?• Why is Atlantic always positive?
• How does this alter land climate?
• What if ocean thermohaline circulation changes?
• Effects– Greenland– Black Death & Agricultural productivity– Culture matters.
• Effects– Greenland– Black Death & Agricultural productivity
• What might change THC in future?• What might happen to Europe in Global Warming?
(unlikely)• Is THC changing now?
• What if surface circulation changes?• Is this likely?