#3 The ocean is a major influence on weather and climate.
a) The ocean controls weather and climate by dominating the Earths’ energy, water, and carbon systems.
b) The oceans absorbs much of the solar radiation reaching Earth. The ocean loses heat by evaporation. This heat loss drives atmospheric circulation when, after it is released into the atmosphere as water vapor, it condenses and forms rain. Condensation of water evaporated from warm seas provides the energy for hurricanes and cyclones.
c) The El Nino Southern Oscillation causes important changes in global weather patterns because it changes the way heat is released to the atmosphere in the Pacific.
d) Most rain that falls on land originally evaporated from the tropical ocean.
e) The ocean dominates the Earth’s carbon cycle. Half the primary productivity on Earth takes place in the sunlit layers of the ocean and the ocean absorbs roughly half of all carbon dioxide added to the atmosphere.
f) The ocean has had, and will continue to have, a significant influence on climate change by absorbing, storing, and moving heat, carbon and water.
g) Changes in the ocean’s circulation have produced large, abrupt changes in climate during the last 50,000 years.
a) The ocean controls weather and climate by dominating the Earths’ energy, water, and carbon systems.
b) The oceans absorbs much of the solar radiation reaching Earth. The ocean loses heat by evaporation. This heat loss drives atmospheric circulation when, after it is released into the atmosphere as water vapor, it condenses and forms rain. Condensation of water evaporated from warm seas provides the energy for hurricanes and cyclones.
c) The El Nino Southern Oscillation causes important changes in global weather patterns because it changes the way heat is released to the atmosphere in the Pacific.
d) Most rain that falls on land originally evaporated from the tropical ocean.
e) The ocean dominates the Earth’s carbon cycle. Half the primary productivity on Earth takes place in the sunlit layers of the ocean and the ocean absorbs roughly half of all carbon dioxide added to the atmosphere.
f) The ocean has had, and will continue to have, a significant influence on climate change by absorbing, storing, and moving heat, carbon and water.
g) Changes in the ocean’s circulation have produced large, abrupt changes in climate during the last 50,000 years.