7.8: "Cline Curves" and Mixing (Surface) Zone
- Page ID
- 10257
\( \newcommand{\vecs}[1]{\overset { \scriptstyle \rightharpoonup} {\mathbf{#1}} } \) \( \newcommand{\vecd}[1]{\overset{-\!-\!\rightharpoonup}{\vphantom{a}\smash {#1}}} \)\(\newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}\) \( \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}\) \( \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}\) \( \newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}\) \( \newcommand{\inner}[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \(\newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}\) \( \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}\) \( \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}\) \( \newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}\) \( \newcommand{\inner}[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\)\(\newcommand{\AA}{\unicode[.8,0]{x212B}}\)
The "Cline Curves" - changes in temperature, salinity, and density with depth
- Thermocline - a steep temperature gradient in a body of water marked by a layer above and below which the water is at different temperatures.
- Halocline - a vertical zone in the oceanic water column in which salinity changes rapidly with depth.
- Pycnocline - a layer in an ocean or other body of water in which water density increases rapidly with depth.
Figure 7.26. The "cline curves"
NOAA Animation: Annual changes of pychnocline depth
Mixing (Surface) Zone
Uppermost water where mixing from currents make temperature, salinity, and density mostly constant.
Vertical changes in temperature with latitude:
• Polar regions have almost no thermocline.
• Temperate regions have weak thermoclines (moderate in summer, less in winter).
• Tropical regions have a strong thermocline.
