Full Answer
This means that deep water forms in the North Atlantic. It's important to appreciate that any Figure drawn at this scale, the entire ocean, is approximate. Don't take everything you see in these figures as the gospel. For a different perspective, have a look at this animation.
But, if deep water forms in one place, then surface water has to form somewhere else; we can't push water into the deep ocean without something coming back to the surface, and in fact, surface water forms in various places in the ocean.
The colder it got the denser the water would be, and eventually that water would become dense enough to sink, and become deep water. Now lets add in evaporation.
Ocean-atmosphere interactions have important implications for global ocean currents. For example, think about what would happen if a large scale surface current continually lost heat. The colder it got the denser the water would be, and eventually that water would become dense enough to sink, and become deep water.
Aided by a nudge from the warm Gulf Stream surface current, this water makes its way once again to the extreme North Atlantic, where the cycle begins again. This global circulation pattern mixes the waters of the world's oceans, turning the ocean reservoirs into a single, vast, interconnected system.
thermohaline circulationThese deep-ocean currents are driven by differences in the water's density, which is controlled by temperature (thermo) and salinity (haline). This process is known as thermohaline circulation.
The basic thermohaline circulation is one of sinking of cold water in the polar regions, chiefly in the northern North Atlantic and near Antarctica. These dense water masses spread into the full extent of the ocean and gradually upwell to feed a slow return flow to the sinking regions.
In contrast to wind-driven surface currents, deep-ocean currents are caused by differences in water density. The process that creates deep currents is called thermohaline circulation—“thermo” referring to temperature and “haline” to saltiness.
Two types of ocean circulationEquatorial currents. At the Equator the currents are for the most part directed toward the west, the North Equatorial Current in the Northern Hemisphere and the South Equatorial Current in the Southern Hemisphere. ... The subtropical gyres. ... The subpolar gyres.
Because the density variations that cause deep ocean circulation are caused by differences in temperature and salinity, deep-ocean circulation is also referred to as Thermohaline circulation. 9.
This usually occurs in the equatorial ocean, mostly in the Pacific and Indian Oceans. This very large, slow current is called the thermohaline circulation because it is caused by temperature and salinity (haline) variations.
Ocean circulation can be conceptually divided into two main components: a fast and energetic wind-driven surface circulation, and a slow and large density-driven circulation which dominates the deep sea. Wind-driven circulation is by far the most dynamic.
This means that deep water forms in the North Atlantic. It's important to appreciate that any Figure drawn at this scale, the entire ocean, is approximate.
For example, think about what would happen if a large scale surface current continually lost heat. The colder it got the denser the water would be, and eventually that water would become dense enough to sink, and become deep water.
Imagine that water was continually evaporated from our surface current. This would make it saltier, which would increase the density. Eventually, the density would increase enough for the water to sink and become deep water. Source: NOAA.
But, if deep water forms in one place, then surface water has to form somewhere else; we can't push water into the deep ocean without something coming back to the surface, and in fact, surface water forms in various places in the ocean.