The Oceans

Ocean-Atmosphere Links
Exchange of water, carbon dioxide
(gases) and heat.
Surface currents are driven by
atmospheric circulation.
Surface
Currents
Surface Currents
Transfer heat from one place to
another.
Keep the upper 100 meters of the
ocean well mixed.
The Ocean is Stratified
Oceans and Climate
Heat transferred from the Equator
towards the poles.
Example: England has a relatively
warm climate at a latitude of
Northern Canada.
Thermohaline Circulation
Thermohaline Circulation
Driven by Density Differences,
difference in temperature and salinity.
Completes cycle in 6 yrs.

Waves
move, not
water
Important
Parts
Wave length
Crest
Trough
Breakers
Waves break when wave base = wave length
Longshore Sediment Transport
Barrier Islands
Barrier Islands
Current
Sediments
East Coast
Wave Refraction
Waves bend as they approach a headland
Wave Refraction
Creates
Sea Arches and Sea Stacks
This great double arch is in the
Shetland Islands. The Islands, are the
northernmost outposts of the United
Kingdom and lie N.E. of northern
Scotland.
Land's End is the
westernmost part of
England. The arch is
near Cornwall about 10
miles from Penzance .
Copyright 2005 Bob Fagley
Copyright 2005 Bob Fagley
Tides
Tides
Tides
Tides
Deserts

What is a desert?
Less than 250 mm (10 inches) of
precipitation.
Generally lacking in vegetation.
Cannot support a large population ??
Types of Deserts (5)
Controlled by air circulation
Subtropical
Centered around 30
o
N and S
latitude

Geographically extensive
Global
Atmospheric
Circulation
Examples: Sahara and Great Australian
Subtropical Desert
Types of Deserts
Continental Interior-
Far from sources of moisture
(ocean)
Example: Gobi in Mongolia

Continental Interior Desert
Types of Deserts
Rainshadow-
Mountain ranges cause barrier
to flow of moisture.
Rainshadow Desert
Examples: Cascades and Sierra Nevada

Types of Deserts
Coastal Desert -
Cool dry air blows in from the ocean
and evaporates occurs as it warms.
Example: Coast of Chile and Peru

Coastal Desert
Types of Deserts
Polar
Cold air holds very little moisture.
What little precipitation falls
remains as ice for 1000's of years.
Examples: Greenland and Antarctica

Sediment Transport
Sediment Transport by
Wind
1. Surface creep
2. Saltation
3. Suspension


Erosion by Wind
Abrasion airborne particles chip off
small fragments of other rocks.
Ventifacts
Erosion by Wind
Deflation removal of small, loose
particles. Can form desert pavement.
Deposition by Wind
Dune hill or ridge of sand deposited
by winds.

Dune Types
Dependent on:
Sand supply
Wind velocity
Variability of wind direction
Surface over which the dune
moves
Barchan - Sand is limited, steady wind from
one direction
Longitudinal (Linear) - Limited sand
supply, strong converging winds
Star - Sand scarce, wind shifts
Transverse - Abundant sand, moderate wind
Parabolic - Abundant sand, strong offshore
wind
Limited amounts of sand

Barchan - wind from one direction
Star - wind direction varies
Longitudinal - Wind converges from two directions

Abundant sand

Transverse - wind from one direction
Parabolic wind blows in land on shores
Sand Dune Summery