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Ocean heat content and sea level rise are important indicators of climate change. [10] Ocean water can absorb a lot of solar energy because water has far greater heat capacity than atmospheric gases. [6] As a result, the top few meters of the ocean contain more energy than the entire Earth's atmosphere. [11]
Ocean heat content (OHC) or ocean heat uptake (OHU) is the energy absorbed and stored by oceans. To calculate the ocean heat content, it is necessary to measure ocean temperature at many different locations and depths. Integrating the areal density of a change in enthalpic energy over an ocean basin or entire ocean gives the total ocean heat ...
Ocean circulation events cause this process to be variable. For example, during El Nino events there is less deep ocean upwelling, leading to lower outgassing of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. [18] Biological processes also lead to ocean-atmosphere carbon exchange. Carbon dioxide equilibrates between the atmosphere and the ocean's surface ...
The top few meters of Earth's oceans harbor more thermal energy than its entire atmosphere. [20] Like atmospheric gases, fluidic ocean waters transport vast amounts of such energy over the planet's surface. Sensible heat also moves into and out of great depths under conditions that favor downwelling or upwelling. [21] [22]
Atmospheric circulation is the large-scale movement of air and together with ocean circulation is the means by which thermal energy is redistributed on the surface of the Earth. The Earth's atmospheric circulation varies from year to year, but the large-scale structure of its circulation remains fairly constant.
The ocean plays a key role in the water cycle as it is the source of 86% of global evaporation. [2] The water cycle involves the exchange of energy, which leads to temperature changes. When water evaporates, it takes up energy from its surroundings and cools the environment. When it condenses, it releases energy and warms the environment.
The nitrogen cycle is as important in the ocean as it is on land. While the overall cycle is similar in both cases, there are different players and modes of transfer for nitrogen in the ocean. [81] Nitrogen enters the ocean through precipitation, runoff, or as N 2 from the atmosphere.
By doing so, the ocean has acted as a buffer, somewhat slowing the rise in atmospheric CO 2 levels. However, this absorption of anthropogenic CO 2 has also caused acidification of the oceans. [8] [10] Climate change, a result of this excess CO 2 in the atmosphere, has increased the temperature of the ocean and atmosphere. [11]