. Aerographer's Mate 3 & 2. United States. Navy; Meteorology; Oceanography. Chapter 16 —FUNDAMENTALS OF OCEANOGRAPHY 2-. The main thermocline — the central layer of the oceans in which there is a rapid decrease of water temperature with depth. 3. The deep layer — the bottom layer of water which in mid latitudes exists below 4,000 feet. The deep layer is characterized by fairly con- stant cold temperatures, generally less than 4°C. We will now consider the physical properties of these layers, how they are determined, and their ranges and variations. Two variables—temperature and pressure —
. Aerographer's Mate 3 & 2. United States. Navy; Meteorology; Oceanography. Chapter 16 —FUNDAMENTALS OF OCEANOGRAPHY 2-. The main thermocline — the central layer of the oceans in which there is a rapid decrease of water temperature with depth. 3. The deep layer — the bottom layer of water which in mid latitudes exists below 4,000 feet. The deep layer is characterized by fairly con- stant cold temperatures, generally less than 4°C. We will now consider the physical properties of these layers, how they are determined, and their ranges and variations. Two variables—temperature and pressure — determine the physical properties of pure water. When studying sea water, a third variable — salinity — must be considered. It can readily be seen that some physical properties of sea water are dependent upon pressure, temperature, and salinity, while other properties are affected by the suspension of minute matter and motion characteristics. The latter variable cannot be accurately measured; whereas pressure, temperature and salinity can be determined with a greater degree of accuracy. TEMPERATURE About three-fourths of the earth's atmos- phere is underlain by the water surfaces of the oceans and other bodies of water. It is the temperature of the sea water, primarily in the upper portions of the mixed layer, which has such a marked effect upon the atmospheric and climatic conditions over the surface of the earth. The transport of heat from lower to higher latitudes takes place partly by air currents (winds) and partly by ocean currents. Temperatures of the oceans will range from about -2° C to 30° C near the surface. There are of course variations dependent upon such factors as ocean currents, the character of the atmospheric circulations, latitude, variation of the amount of heat absorbed at different depths, and the effect of vertical motion. Figure 16-2, depicting the three-layered ocean concept, illustrates the average vertical temperature distribution in
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