TOPIC 2

THE HYDROGRAPHICAL CYCLE:

2- HISTORY OF SEASONAL THERMOCLINE

The next image shows the annual evolution of
temperature and salinity in front of Barcelona,
some 20 km away from the coast (years 1975-76).

Image taken from Salat, J. et al, 1978

http://www.cmima.csic.es/files/webcmima/docs/biblio-pdf/doc_2407.pdf
BARCELONA 1975 - 1976

TEMPERATURE ºC

Jul Agu Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Agu Sep Oct
BARCELONA 1975 - 1976

SALINITY (UPS)

Jul Agu Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Agu Sep Oct
Let’s comment...

The two red vertical lines in the previous slide correspond in

time to the profiles shown in the next slide....winter and
summer..... but the Cape Creus is some 100 km to the
north from Barcelona, and data correspond to some 30
years later!

This oceanographic similarity (in time and space within the

same region) produces strong regularities that make
possible a general and comprehensive description of the
main features of oceans and seas.
 Cap de Creus,
Estació LLU12 North Western Mediterranean
Estació LLU02
Winter
HIVERN 20092009 Summer 2009
ESTIU 2009
0 0

10 10

20 20

30 30

40 40
(m)(m)

FONDÀRIA (m)
FONDÀRIA

50 50

60 60
Depth

70 70

80 80

90 90

100 100

110 110
10 11 12 13 14 15 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25
TEMPERATURA TEMPERATURA
37.0 37.5 38.0 38.5 37.0 37.5 38.0 38.5
SALINITAT SALINITAT

26.0 26.5 27.0 27.5 28.0 28.5 29.0 29.5 24.5 25.0 25.5 26.0 26.5 27.0 27.5 28.0 28.5 29.0 29.5
SIGMA-T SIGMA-T

0.0 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 5.0 6.0 7.0 8.0 0.0 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 5.0 6.0 7.0 8.0
FLUORESCÈNCIA FLUORESCÈNCIA

0.00 0.25 0.50 0.75 1.00 1.25 1.50 1.75 2.00 0.00 0.25 0.50 0.75 1.00 1.25 1.50 1.75 2.00
TERBOLESA TERBOLESA
Lets comment...

In winter the water is well mixed: T, S and Density (some other

variables too) are almost uniform.

In Spring, increased solar radiation produces the rise surface

temperature, while wind helps to mix the upper layer and to inject heat
to lower layers. But the lighter the water, more external auxiliary
mechanical energy is required to push down the thermocline (the layer
where temperature changes more abruptly with depth).

In summer a thermocline has developed and vertical uniformity has

disappeared. There is a clear vertical stratification and stability is high.
Chlorophyll fluorescence shows a maximum well below the pycnocline.
 CAP DE CREUS
ESTACIÓ LLU02
ANY 2008
2008
0

10 Annual evolution of temperature

20
Winter: no thermocline
30

Spring: two weak thermoclines (25 and 50 m)

FONDÀRIA
(m)

40

50 Summer: Strong thermocline at 45 m

Depth

60
Fall: the thermocline reaches 70 m
70
HIVERN-2008
80
PRIMAVERA-2008
ESTIU-2008
TARDOR-2008
90

100
12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26

TEMPERATURE
TEMPERATURA
 CAP DE CREUS
ESTACIÓ LLU02
ANY 2008
2008
0
Annual evolution of salinity
10

Winter: less saline water on top of the column

20
(the cause is heavy rain the days before
30 sampling, but it is not usual,,,)
FONDÀRIA
(m)

40
Spring: continental fresh water has mixed and a
50 continuous salinity gradient (increasing salinity
Depth

with depth) develops.

60

70
HIVERN-2008
Summer: Uniforme well mixed upper layer is les
PRIMAVERA-2008 salty than deeper water.
80
ESTIU-2008
TARDOR-2008
90 Fall: The upper uniform layer has become
thicker and salty water apperars under the main
100
36.8 37.0 37.2 37.4 37.6 37.8 38.0 38.2 38.4 pycnocline...
SALINITAT
SALINITY
 CAP DE LLU02
ESTACIÓ CREUS
2008
ANY 2008
0

10
density
Annual evolution of temperature
20

Winter: a weak pycnocline produced by fresher

30
water appears on top of the column.
FONDÀRIA
(m)

40

Spring: two weak pycnoclines are present,

50
corresponding to two different episodes of
Depth

60 warming and mixing

70
Summer: Strong pycnocline at 45 m
80 HIVERN-2008
PRIMAVERA-2008
ESTIU-2008
Fall: the pycnocline reaches 70 m
90
TARDOR-2008
100
25 26 27 28 29

SIGMA-T

SIGMA-T = DENSITY – 1000

 Annual evolution of stability measured as the relative
vertical gradient of density (scale multiplied by 105)

ESTACIÓ LLU02
CAP DE CREUS
PATH OF ANY
THE 2008
PYCNOCLINE 2008
0 0

10 10

20 20

30 30
DEPTH m

DEPTH (m)
FONDÀRIA

40 40

50 50

60 EMAX = - a [D r / D z] 60

70 70

WINTER
HIVERN-2008 WINTER-2008
80 80
SPRING
PRIMAVERA-2008 SPRING-2008
SUMMER-2008
SUMMER
ESTIU-2008
90 90 FALL-2008
FALL
TARDOR-2008
100 100
25 26 27 28 29 0 10 20 30 40 50

SIGMA-T 5 -1
stability = t/ z (x 10 ) (m )
Lets comment...

From spring to summer, the balance of energy fluxes across the sea
surface represents a neat heat gain for the sea.

In summer, heat content of the upper column increases to its maximum.

At the end of summer, although the surface temperature usually
decreases in September. The upper mixed layer has become thicker
and the heat content is maximum.

In fall, when the balance of energy fluxes changes its sign (the sea
looses heat), stability decreases and mixing is easier. The thermocline
goes down quickly and the upper mixed layer temperature decreases
steadily.

In winter, the process goes on until ..... next spring!