Ocean Properties vs. Depth
Names:
1. Draw 3 different layers of the ocean and label them.
2. Thermocline
Vertical line that represents:
It is affected by
3. Halocline
Vertical line that represents:
It is affected by
4. Graph
You will make 2 graphs, one on each side of the paper.
Thermocline Data
Depth (m)
High-Latitude
Temperature (oC)
0
2
10
16
20
30
50
60
75
85
100
125
150
200
250
300
6
6
5.9
5.5
5.1
4.3
3.1
3.1
2.5
2.5
2.5
3.2
3.5
3.5
3.5
3.5
Mid-Latitude –
Winter
Temperature (oC)
16
16
16
16
16
16
16
16
16
15.9
14.2
13.8
12.2
10
8.8
7.8
Mid-Latitude –
Summer
Temperature (oC)
17.6
17.6
17.6
17.6
17.3
16.7
15.9
14.8
13.6
12.4
11.
10.3
9.8
8.7
8
7.3
Low-Latitude
Temperature (oC)
25.8
25.8
25.8
25.8
25.8
25.8
25.1
24.3
23.5
23
22.5
21.6
20.5
17.8
14.9
12.9
Halocline Data
Depth
High-Latitude
Salinity (ppt)
0
2
10
16
20
30
50
60
75
85
100
125
150
200
250
300
27.9
27.9
28.7
29.2
30
30.8
31.4
31.6
31.9
32
32.2
32.5
32.8
33.1
33.2
33.2
Mid-Latitude –
Winter
Salinity (ppt)
33.4
33.4
33.4
33.4
33.4
33.4
33.4
33.4
33.4
33.4
33.5
33.6
33.6
33.8
33.9
34
Mid-Latitude –
Summer
Salinity (ppt)
33.3
33.3
33.3
33.3
33.3
33.3
33.3
33.3
33.4
33.3
33.4
33.5
33.7
33.9
34
34
Low-Latitude
Salinity (ppt)
35.3
35.3
35.3
35.3
35.3
35.3
35.3
35.3
35.4
35.3
35.3
35.2
35.2
34.8
34.5
34.3
5. Analysis Questions:
1. Why is the location of the thermocline closer to the surface during the summer at the midlatitudes than the winter?
2. At what depth does the thermocline occur for the mid-latitude winter data?
3. Explain why there is such a little thermocline at high-latitudes?
4. Which latitude/season shows the great thermocline change?
5. Why does salinity start so low at high-latitudes and increase with depth?
6. Why does the salinity at the surface vary so much between high and low latitudes?
Extra Credit - Why does the high-latitude thermocline indicate that it warms slightly around 125oC?