Halothermal circulation
The term halothermal circulation refers to the part of the large-scale ocean circulation that is driven by global density gradients created by surface heat and evaporation.
The adjective halothermal derives from halo- referring to salt content and -thermal referring to temperature, factors which together determine the density of sea water. Halothermal circulation is driven primarily by salinity changes and secondarily by temperature changes (as opposed to the thermohaline mode in modern oceans). The generation of high salinity surface waters at low latitudes, which were therefore of higher density and thus sank, is thought to have been the dominant ocean circulation driver during greenhouse climates such as the Cretaceous. Similar dynamics operate today in the Mediterranean.
The formation of bottom waters by halothermal dynamics is considered to be one to two orders of magnitude weaker than in thermohaline systems.
References
- Kennett, J.P. & Stott, L.D., 1990, Proteus and Proto-Oceanus, Paleogene oceans as revealed from Antarctic stable isotope results, ODP Leg 113. Proceedings Ocean Drilling Program, Science Results 113, 865–880.
- v
- t
- e
- Airy wave theory
- Ballantine scale
- Benjamin–Feir instability
- Boussinesq approximation
- Breaking wave
- Clapotis
- Cnoidal wave
- Cross sea
- Dispersion
- Edge wave
- Equatorial waves
- Fetch
- Gravity wave
- Green's law
- Infragravity wave
- Internal wave
- Iribarren number
- Kelvin wave
- Kinematic wave
- Longshore drift
- Luke's variational principle
- Mild-slope equation
- Radiation stress
- Rogue wave
- Rossby wave
- Rossby-gravity waves
- Sea state
- Seiche
- Significant wave height
- Soliton
- Stokes boundary layer
- Stokes drift
- Stokes wave
- Swell
- Trochoidal wave
- Tsunami
- Undertow
- Ursell number
- Wave action
- Wave base
- Wave height
- Wave nonlinearity
- Wave power
- Wave radar
- Wave setup
- Wave shoaling
- Wave turbulence
- Wave–current interaction
- Waves and shallow water
- Wind setup
- Wind wave
- Atmospheric circulation
- Baroclinity
- Boundary current
- Coriolis force
- Coriolis–Stokes force
- Craik–Leibovich vortex force
- Downwelling
- Eddy
- Ekman layer
- Ekman spiral
- Ekman transport
- El Niño–Southern Oscillation
- General circulation model
- Geochemical Ocean Sections Study
- Geostrophic current
- Global Ocean Data Analysis Project
- Gulf Stream
- Halothermal circulation
- Humboldt Current
- Hydrothermal circulation
- Langmuir circulation
- Longshore drift
- Loop Current
- Modular Ocean Model
- Ocean current
- Ocean dynamics
- Ocean dynamical thermostat
- Ocean gyre
- Overflow
- Princeton ocean model
- Rip current
- Subsurface currents
- Sverdrup balance
- Thermohaline circulation
- Upwelling
- Wind generated current
- Whirlpool
- World Ocean Circulation Experiment
tectonics
- Acidification
- Argo
- Benthic lander
- Color of water
- DSV Alvin
- Marginal sea
- Marine energy
- Marine pollution
- Mooring
- National Oceanographic Data Center
- Ocean
- Explorations
- Observations
- Reanalysis
- Ocean surface topography
- Ocean temperature
- Ocean thermal energy conversion
- Oceanography
- Pelagic sediment
- Sea surface microlayer
- Sea surface temperature
- Seawater
- Science On a Sphere
- Stratification
- Thermocline
- Underwater glider
- Water column
- World Ocean Atlas
- Oceans portal
- Category
- Commons
This oceanography article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
- v
- t
- e