ment:* prevailing winds- caused by planetary wind system (belts)* coriolis effect creates gyres: large circular current-CW in NH, CCW in SH* seawater density- salinity and temperature* major water masses:* surface water layers- mostly warm (cold @ poles)* 0-35 deg. latitude surface water- central water mass: warm, avg. salinity, flows northward* polar surface water mass- cold, less saline, flows in the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC)* deep water layers- cold* Intermediate water mass (AAIW)- originates from the ACC, flows northward under the central surface water mass* North Atlantic Deep Water (NADW)- originates in N. Atlantic, dence (cold and saline), flows to deep regions near Greenland and then southward* Antarctic Bottom Water (AABW)- originates at Antarctica, densest (coldest and most saline), flows down near Antarctica and into the deepest ocean region then northward under the NADW into the N. Atlantic, then returns southward still under the NADW* global ocean conveyor system:* thermohaline circulation system- global circulation of seawater through interconnected currents in all oceans-1000 years to replace all deep water (20-30mil. m3/sec.)Ocean Tides: Twice-daily rise and fall of ocean waters.* forces that cause ocean tides:* gravitational pull that the Moon exerts on the Earth* intertial force created by the Earth's rotation about the center of mass* tidal bulges: due to the sum of forces* towards the moon- gravitational force is greater* towards opposite- intertial force is greaterSea-Floor Landforms* mid-ocean ridge: most pronounced feature on earth* broad fractured mountain system* continuous ridge around globe* 1500km wide and 3km high* 23% of earth's surface* rift valley along crest marks axial spreading zone* transform faults and fracture zones form numerous fault blocks* composed entirely of basalt* abyssal floor: flat sea-floor* abyssal hills* abyssal plains- pelagic sediments* deep-sea fans- gravity-drivin turbidit...
