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Morphology of Oceans & Ocean Water

The document summarizes key features of the ocean floor and variations in ocean water properties. It describes seamounts, guyots, abyssal plains, continental slopes, submarine canyons, ocean trenches, mid-ocean ridges, and continental shelves as prominent features of the ocean floor. It also discusses how ocean water temperature, salinity, density, and other properties vary with depth and latitude due to factors like seasonal changes, currents, evaporation rates, and fresh water input. Below 200-800m is a thermocline where surface waters don't mix, and below that lies 90% of ocean volume.

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88 views20 pages

Morphology of Oceans & Ocean Water

The document summarizes key features of the ocean floor and variations in ocean water properties. It describes seamounts, guyots, abyssal plains, continental slopes, submarine canyons, ocean trenches, mid-ocean ridges, and continental shelves as prominent features of the ocean floor. It also discusses how ocean water temperature, salinity, density, and other properties vary with depth and latitude due to factors like seasonal changes, currents, evaporation rates, and fresh water input. Below 200-800m is a thermocline where surface waters don't mix, and below that lies 90% of ocean volume.

Uploaded by

Lilian Lili
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Morphology of Oceans & Ocean Water

Features of the ocean floor -general view

Seamounts are extinct volcanic cones that lie below the surface. Guyot -is a flat topped volcano that once reached the surface but later subsided.

Abysall Plain - situated at the edge of the continental slope. These plains cover large areas of the sea floor at depths of between 4000m and 6000m. They are generally flat and featureless.

Continental Slope- is the steeply sloping area of the seabed that stretches from the continental shelf to the abyssal plain.

Submarine Canyon is a steep sided valley on the sea floor of a continental slope. Often (but not always) found as extensions to larger rivers. Submarine canyons are thought to be major conduits for sediment movement from the continents into the deepsea.

Ocean Trenches
The deepest part of the oceans. Arc-shaped depressions, formed at subduction zones where one tectonic plate plunges under another one. Usually a dense oceanic plate going under a less dense continental one.

Mid-Ocean Ridges
The largest feature of the ocean floor. Linear belt of submarine mountains. New magma forces its way up between two plates and pushes them apart. The rate of spreading at the mid Atlantic ridge is 5 cm a year.

Continental Shelf
Relatively flat area of seabed, stretching from the land to the edge of the continental slope. The continental shelf is less than 250m deep and may be up to 70 km wide.

OCEANIC WATER

Variations in Ocean Temperature


Temperature in the oceans is not always constant. Ocean temperature not only varies through the seasons but also by latitude. Sea surface temperature usually recorded remotely by satellite.

Sea Surface Temperature

Impact of currents can be seen: - Western side of continents shows cooler water heading towards equator.

Ocean water also varies with depth:


Temperature Salinity

Ocean waters varies seasonally up to depths of 500 1000 metres.

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A boundary usually occurs at a depth of between 200 and 800m called the thermocline; below that surface waters dont mix. 90% of the total volume of ocean water is found below the thermocline.

Other Changes with Depth


Density of ocean water increases constantly with decreasing temperature until the water freezes. Ocean water is saline therefore its normal freezing temperature is -1.94C; significantly cooler than pure water. As sea water freezes it usually rejects some of the salt; therefore is only 1% saline; where as sea water is 3.5% saline.

Salinity and density show the opposite trend to water as the depth of ocean water increases. Temperature declines with increasing depth but salinity and water density both increase. Salinity show a rapid increase at the same time temperature falls rapidly. This increase of salinity is called the halocline. At the same depth the water density also increases rapidly in the same zone which is referred to as the pycnocline.

Tropical Areas
These changes are most noticeable at the tropical areas. The surface temperatures are warmer in the equatorial areas. At great depths the temperature of ocean water shows very little variation.

Changes with Latitude - Salinity


Average salinity is 35 parts per thousand. Concentrations of salt are higher in warm seas, due to high rates of evaporation of water. In polar seas where there is an input of fresh water from rivers salinity is low.

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