2. Average Salinity for 1994 in the Atlantic Ocean
This figure illustrates average salinity in the Atlantic Ocean across a twelve
month period in 1994. During the months of May – August, salinity drops
from a combination of evaporation and precipitation mechanisms.
3. Salinity Across Latitude/Longitude
• These next two graphs illustrates average salinity
for 1994 in the Atlantic Ocean across longitude
and latitude. In the North Atlantic, the ocean is
much more salty than in the Southern Atlantic
towards Antarctica. What is also interesting is
the “camel hump” in the tropic longitudes, with a
dip in salinity at the equator. Across latitude, the
graph shows that the Atlantic Ocean is much
more salty than the Pacific. I expect this as the
Pacific is much larger and deeper, and also that
the Mediterranean Ocean is also affecting salinity
in the Atlantic.
4.
5.
6. Salinity Budget Across Zonal and Meridional Surface
Currents
These two graphs illustrate the dot product of salinity to zonal and meridional surface
currents throughout the oceans. Surface currents are defined as currents affecting a depth
layer of 10 meters. Overall, the two graphs appear similar. The result shows that the zonal
and meridional surface currents are helping to balance the salinity budget throughout the
oceans.
7. Global Illustration of Currents and
Salinity Budget
• The following illustrations show zonal surface currents, meridional
surface currents, and salinity budgets affected by these currents.
We define zonal currents as eastward or westward. A positive
number represent that the zonal currents are transporting water
eastward, and a negative number represents water transport
westward. For meridional surface currents, a positive number
represents transport southward, and a negative number represents
transport northward. The current speed is defined in knots.
• By taking the dot product of salinity and mean current velocity, we
are able to see how salt is transported through the ocean via these
currents to help balance the salt budget of the oceans. The
following graphs for zonal and meridional surface currents
represent a twelve month period from 1992-2014. The mean
velocity of these currents is used in dot product multiplication with
average salinity for 1994.
