Consider the following statements regarding oceans:1. Ocean heat conte...
- For the fourth year in a row, the world’s oceans recorded extreme heating in 2022 on account of anthropological activities like greenhouse gas emissions. The worrying trend continues even as the time to reverse the climate crisis is running out.
- More than 90% of the excess heat accumulated in the earth’s climate is deposited in the oceans. A study conducted by researchers from 16 institutes worldwide and published in the Journal of Atmospheric Sciences analyses factors that drive heating trends in the world’s oceans. The study uses in situ data obtained from the World Ocean Database. Ocean heat content increase assists climate change. The report has discussed the following two concepts related to the impact.
- Ocean heat content (OHC) is the amount of energy absorbed by and stored in the oceans. It is measured in joules, the unit of energy. When sunlight reaches the earth, oceans absorb this energy and store it as heat. While the heat is first absorbed at the surface of the water body, some of it is eventually disbursed throughout. Water also has a higher heat capacity than air, which means that it can store much larger amounts of heat. This also means that water heats up slower than air. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
- OHC is an important indicator of climate change. An increase in greenhouse gas emissions traps more energy from the sun in the atmosphere, not allowing it to escape. Rising ocean temperatures strengthen the exchange of energy from oceans to the atmosphere by increasing the evaporation of water and thus the quantity of atmospheric moisture. This leads to changes in global precipitation patterns as well as temperatures. x Salinity is a particularly important characteristic of sea and ocean water. The salinity-contrast index, defined as the difference between the salinity averaged over climatologically high-salinity and low- salinity regions, also reached its highest level on record in 2022. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
- Salinity determines water density, which drives the circulation of water in oceans. When evaporation occurs, liquid water that is high in salinity is left behind. Similarly, during precipitation, freshwater is added to saline water. Over time, changes in the salinity of oceans include large areas and act as an indicator of a change in the water cycle. The salinity-contrast index, a measure of the “salty gets saltier–fresh gets fresher” pattern, is a powerful tool to observe salinity pattern changes.
- Together, temperature and salinity changes in oceans change the density of water and lead to vertical stratification. This stratification hinders water mixing and consequently the exchange of heat, carbon, oxygen and so on between layers. As a result, stratification, along with OHC and salinity-contrast index, becomes an important element in quantifying climate change.
View all questions of this test
Consider the following statements regarding oceans:1. Ocean heat conte...
Explanation:
Ocean heat content and Salinity-contrast index are important parameters used in studying the oceans and their impact on climate. Let's break down each statement to understand them better.
Ocean Heat Content:
- Ocean heat content refers to the total amount of energy that is absorbed by the oceans and stored in the form of heat.
- It is a crucial metric in assessing the impact of climate change on the oceans, as it directly affects ocean temperatures and circulation patterns.
- Monitoring changes in ocean heat content helps scientists understand the overall warming of the Earth's climate system.
Salinity-contrast Index:
- The salinity-contrast index is a measure of the difference in salinity levels between high-salinity and low-salinity regions of the ocean.
- This index helps scientists identify areas of the ocean where there are significant variations in salinity, which can have implications for ocean circulation and climate patterns.
- Changes in salinity levels can impact the density of seawater, which in turn affects ocean currents and the distribution of heat around the globe.
Conclusion:
Both statements are correct as they highlight important aspects of oceanography and climatology. Understanding ocean heat content and salinity variations is crucial for monitoring and predicting climate change and its impact on the oceans.