What is the global conveyer belt referring to? How does this thermohaline flow transport heat
throughout the world ocean? Include aspects of upwelling and downwelling. What will be an ideal response?
ANS:Answer
should include:
? Thermohaline circulation is the mass movement of water due to variations in density.
These can be horizontal or vertical flows.
? As some tropical surface water travels towards the poles, some loses heat to the
atmosphere. Once heat loss occurs, the water sinks to become deep water and bottom
water. This can be pronounced in some regions. Through circulation, the cold, dense
water moves back towards the Southern Hemisphere at great depths. Eventually, this
water wells up to the surface layers once again. This happens in the Indian and Pacific
oceans. This whole exchange of upwelling and downwelling is deemed the global
conveyer belt.
? The conveyer belt circuit is very slow moving. It can take nearly a thousand years to
complete.
? The conveyer belt moves heat and nutrients throughout the ocean.
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