Question

Examine the factors that influence the temperature distribution of the oceans.

Answer 1

The factors which affect the distribution of temperature of ocean water are explained below:

1. Latitude: The temperature of surface water decreases from the equator towards the poles because the amount of insolation decreases poleward. The enclosed seas in the low latitudes record relatively higher temperatures than the open seas; whereas the enclosed seas in the high latitudes have lower temperatures than the open seas.

2. Unequal distribution of land and water: The oceans in the northern hemisphere receive more heat due to their contact with a larger extent of land than the oceans in the southern hemisphere.

3. Prevailing wind: The winds blowing from the land towards the oceans drive warm surface water away from the coast resulting in the upwelling of cold water from below. As a result, there is longitudinal variation in the temperature. On the contrary, the onshore winds pile up warm water near the coast and this raises the temperature.

4. Ocean currents: Warm ocean currents raise the temperature in cold areas while cold currents decrease the temperature in warm ocean areas. The Gulf stream raises the temperature near the eastern coast of North America and the West Coast of Europe while the Labrador current (cold current) lowers the temperature near the northeast coast of North America.

5. Salinity: Saline water absorbs more heat and its temperature rises much higher than freshwater.

All these factors influence the temperature of the ocean currents locally.