Ocean temperature: Difference between revisions

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The '''Ocean temperature''' varies by depth and geographical location. The ocean temperature depends on the amount of solar radiation falling on its surface. In the tropics, with the Sun nearly overhead, the [[Sea surface temperature|temperature of the surface layers]] can rise to over {{convert|30|°C}} while near the poles the temperature in equilibrium with the [[sea ice]] is about {{convert|-2|°C}}. There is a continuous circulation of water in the oceans. Warm surface currents cool as they move away from the tropics, and the water becomes denser and sinks. The cold water moves back towards the equator as a deep sea current, driven by changes in the temperature and density of the water, before eventually welling up again towards the surface. [[Ocean temperature|Deep ocean water has a temperature]] between {{convert|-2|°C}} and {{convert|5|°C}} in all parts of the globe.<ref name=":7">{{cite web |author=Gordon, Arnold |year=2004 |title=Ocean Circulation |url=http://eesc.columbia.edu/courses/ees/climate/lectures/o_circ.html |access-date=6 July 2013 |work=The Climate System |publisher=Columbia University}}</ref>
'''Ocean temperature''' may refer to:


* [[Sea surface temperature]], also called ''ocean surface temperature,'' the temperature at or near the surface
''Ocean temperature'' as a term is used either for the temperature in the ocean at any depth, or specifically for the ocean temperature that are not near the surface (in which case it is synonymous with "deep ocean temperature").

* [[Ocean#Temperature|Ocean § Temperature]], the temperature in different layers
== Definition and types ==
⚫
* [[Ocean heat content#Recent observations and changes|Ocean heat content § Recent observations and changes]], temperature as involved in vertical heat distribution and transport
===Sea surface temperature===
⚫
* [[Thermohaline circulation]], temperature as involved in ocean currents
{{excerpt|Sea surface temperature|paragraphs=1|}}

===Deep ocean temperature===
The temperature further below the surface is called "ocean temperature" or "deep ocean temperature". [[Ocean temperature|Ocean temperatures]] (more than 20 metres below the surface) also vary by region and time, and they contribute to variations in [[ocean heat content]] and ocean [[Stratification (water)|stratification]].<ref name="AR6_WG1_Chapter9">Fox-Kemper, B., H.T. Hewitt, C. Xiao, G. Aðalgeirsdóttir, S.S. Drijfhout, T.L. Edwards, N.R. Golledge, M. Hemer, R.E. Kopp, G.  Krinner, A. Mix, D. Notz, S. Nowicki, I.S. Nurhati, L. Ruiz, J.-B. Sallée, A.B.A. Slangen, and Y. Yu, 2021: [https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg1/downloads/report/IPCC_AR6_WGI_Chapter09.pdf Chapter 9: Ocean, Cryosphere and Sea Level Change]. In [https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg1/ Climate Change 2021: The Physical Science Basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change] [Masson-Delmotte, V., P. Zhai, A. Pirani, S.L.  Connors, C. Péan, S. Berger, N. Caud, Y. Chen, L. Goldfarb, M.I. Gomis, M. Huang, K. Leitzell, E. Lonnoy, J.B.R. Matthews, T.K. Maycock, T. Waterfield, O. Yelekçi, R. Yu, and B. Zhou (eds.)]. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, United Kingdom and New York, NY, USA, pp. 1211–1362, doi:10.1017/9781009157896.011.</ref> The increase of both ocean surface temperature and deeper ocean temperature is an important [[Effects of climate change on oceans|effect of climate change on oceans]].<ref name="AR6_WG1_Chapter9" />

==Trends due to climate change==
⚫
{{excerpt|Effects of climate change on oceans#Ocean temperature}}

{{excerpt|Sea surface temperature#Recent increase due to climate change}}


==See also==
==See also==
* [[Ocean current#Causes|Ocean current § Causes]], temperature as a contributing cause of ocean currents
* [[Ocean current#Causes|Ocean current § Causes]], temperature as a contributing cause of ocean currents
⚫
* [[Effects of climate change on oceans#Ocean temperature|Effects of climate change on oceans § Ocean temperature]]
* [[Global surface temperature]], a planet-wide average of temperatures at both the sea surface and the air over land
* [[Global surface temperature]], a planet-wide average of temperatures at both the sea surface and the air over land
⚫
* [[Ocean heat content#Recent observations and changes|Ocean heat content § Recent observations and changes]], temperature as involved in vertical heat distribution and transport
⚫
* [[Thermohaline circulation]], temperature as involved in ocean currents
* [[Deep ocean water]]


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Revision as of 12:11, 27 October 2022

The Ocean temperature varies by depth and geographical location. The ocean temperature depends on the amount of solar radiation falling on its surface. In the tropics, with the Sun nearly overhead, the temperature of the surface layers can rise to over 30 °C (86 °F) while near the poles the temperature in equilibrium with the sea ice is about −2 °C (28 °F). There is a continuous circulation of water in the oceans. Warm surface currents cool as they move away from the tropics, and the water becomes denser and sinks. The cold water moves back towards the equator as a deep sea current, driven by changes in the temperature and density of the water, before eventually welling up again towards the surface. Deep ocean water has a temperature between −2 °C (28 °F) and 5 °C (41 °F) in all parts of the globe.[1]

Ocean temperature as a term is used either for the temperature in the ocean at any depth, or specifically for the ocean temperature that are not near the surface (in which case it is synonymous with "deep ocean temperature").

Definition and types

Sea surface temperature

This section is an excerpt from Sea surface temperature.[edit]
Sea surface temperature since 1979 in the extrapolar region (between 60 degrees south and 60 degrees north latitude)
Sea surface temperature (SST, also ocean surface temperature) is the temperature of ocean water close to the surface. The exact meaning of surface varies in the literature and in practice. It is usually between 1 millimetre (0.04 in) and 20 metres (70 ft) below the sea surface. Sea surface temperatures greatly modify air masses in the Earth's atmosphere within a short distance of the shore. Local areas of heavy snow can form in bands downwind of warm water bodies within an otherwise cold air mass. Warm sea surface temperatures can develop and strengthen cyclones over the ocean. Tropical cyclones can also cause a cool wake. This is due to turbulent mixing of the upper 30 metres (100 ft) of the ocean. Sea surface temperature changes during the day. This is like the air above it, but to a lesser degree. There is less variation in sea surface temperature on breezy days than on calm days. The thermohaline circulation has a major impact on average sea surface temperature throughout most of the world's oceans.[2]

Deep ocean temperature

The temperature further below the surface is called "ocean temperature" or "deep ocean temperature". Ocean temperatures (more than 20 metres below the surface) also vary by region and time, and they contribute to variations in ocean heat content and ocean stratification.[3] The increase of both ocean surface temperature and deeper ocean temperature is an important effect of climate change on oceans.[3]

Trends due to climate change

Section 'Ocean temperature' not found
This section is an excerpt from Sea surface temperature § Recent increase due to climate change.[edit]
The global average sea surface temperature has been increasing since around 1900 (graph showing annual average and 5-year smoothed average, relative to the average value for the years 1951-1980).
Overall, scientists project that all regions of the oceans will warm by 2050, but models disagree for SST changes expected in the subpolar North Atlantic, the equatorial Pacific, and the Southern Ocean.[4] The future global mean SST increase for the period 1995-2014 to 2081-2100 is 0.86°C under the most modest greenhouse gas emissions scenarios, and up to 2.89°C under the most severe emissions scenarios.[4]

See also

This article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

  1. ^ Gordon, Arnold (2004). "Ocean Circulation". The Climate System. Columbia University. Retrieved 6 July 2013.
  2. ^ Rahmstorf, S (2003). "The concept of the thermohaline circulation" (PDF). Nature. 421 (6924): 699. Bibcode:2003Natur.421..699R. doi:10.1038/421699a. PMID 12610602. S2CID 4414604.
  3. ^ a b Fox-Kemper, B., H.T. Hewitt, C. Xiao, G. Aðalgeirsdóttir, S.S. Drijfhout, T.L. Edwards, N.R. Golledge, M. Hemer, R.E. Kopp, G.  Krinner, A. Mix, D. Notz, S. Nowicki, I.S. Nurhati, L. Ruiz, J.-B. Sallée, A.B.A. Slangen, and Y. Yu, 2021: Chapter 9: Ocean, Cryosphere and Sea Level Change. In Climate Change 2021: The Physical Science Basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [Masson-Delmotte, V., P. Zhai, A. Pirani, S.L.  Connors, C. Péan, S. Berger, N. Caud, Y. Chen, L. Goldfarb, M.I. Gomis, M. Huang, K. Leitzell, E. Lonnoy, J.B.R. Matthews, T.K. Maycock, T. Waterfield, O. Yelekçi, R. Yu, and B. Zhou (eds.)]. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, United Kingdom and New York, NY, USA, pp. 1211–1362, doi:10.1017/9781009157896.011.
  4. ^ a b Fox-Kemper, B., H.T. Hewitt, C. Xiao, G. Aðalgeirsdóttir, S.S. Drijfhout, T.L. Edwards, N.R. Golledge, M. Hemer, R.E. Kopp, G.  Krinner, A. Mix, D. Notz, S. Nowicki, I.S. Nurhati, L. Ruiz, J.-B. Sallée, A.B.A. Slangen, and Y. Yu, 2021: Chapter 9: Ocean, Cryosphere and Sea Level Change. In Climate Change 2021: The Physical Science Basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [Masson-Delmotte, V., P. Zhai, A. Pirani, S.L. Connors, C. Péan, S. Berger, N. Caud, Y. Chen, L. Goldfarb, M.I. Gomis, M. Huang, K. Leitzell, E. Lonnoy, J.B.R. Matthews, T.K. Maycock, T. Waterfield, O. Yelekçi, R. Yu, and B. Zhou (eds.)]. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, United Kingdom and New York, New York, USA, pages 1211–1362, doi:10.1017/9781009157896.011.
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