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There are processes that increase salinity of the oceans and factors that decrease salinity.
Evaporation causes the salinity of the ocean to increase. This is the primary process taking fresh water out of the oceans. Fresh water enters the ocean through rain and rivers. Rivers bring in a small amount of new salt and dissolved minerals that remains after evaporation.
Freezing also affects salinity. Near the poles, particularly the antarctic, when ocean ice freezes it eliminate a significant amount of salt from the ice, leaving a saltier and denser brine behind. This denser antarctic brine sinks and initiates a current the flow from the antarctic water northward towards the deeper ocean. This is an important influence on circulation in the southern oceans.
The increase salinity of the oceans is also counteracted by processes in the oceans sediments that remove salt so on the average there has been little change in ocean salinity over the last few billion years.
Note: Ocean salt, as described here, is not merely sodium chloride, but also has a fraction of other dissolved ions. See related questions.
What else can I help you with?
In the subtropics the saltiest water is generally at the surface, why?
What causes low salinity in the oceans at high latitudes?In subtropical latitudes, high surface evaporation creates high salinity near the sea surface. In subpolar latitudes, high precipitation creates low salinity near the sea surface. As these waters flow into the ocean interior, they create layers of high and low salinity.
What can causes a increase in the density of the ocean water?
the amount of salinity in the water and high temperatures
What causes cold deep currents to in the ocean near the poles?
Sinking of dense, cold water with high salinity :)
Salinity in the ocean is highest in regions where is high and is low?
Salinity in the ocean is highest in regions where evaporation is high and precipitation is low. Density in seawater is determined by both temperature and salinity.
Does high evaporation rates in subtropics cause the surface ocean water to have a lower than average salinity?
No, high evaporation rates in subtropical regions typically lead to higher salinity in surface ocean waters. As water evaporates, it leaves behind salts and other dissolved substances, concentrating them in the remaining water. This results in elevated salinity levels, contrary to the idea of lower-than-average salinity.
What causes cold deep currents to form in the ocean near the poles?
Sinking of dense, cold water with high salinity :)
Is salinity high on open ocean?
In open ocean evaporation affects the salinity of the oceans, in closed oceans the lack of sunrays cause greater salinity levels.
How do the subtropical anticyclones influence the salinity of surface waters?
Subtropical anticyclones, characterized by high pressure and descending air, contribute to the evaporation of surface waters in their regions. This increased evaporation raises the salinity of the surface waters as the water vapor is lost while salts remain. Additionally, these anticyclones can create stable weather patterns that limit precipitation, further concentrating salts in the ocean surface. Consequently, areas affected by subtropical anticyclones often exhibit higher salinity levels.
Is there a thermocline present in high latitude ocean waters why or why not?
Thermocline is not typically found in high latitudes of ocean waters because of less penetrating heat rays since the sun's energy hits the earth at an angle in the high latitude ocean waters.
Is there a thermocline present in high latitude of ocean waters Why or why not?
Thermocline is not typically found in high latitudes of ocean waters because of less penetrating heat rays since the sun's energy hits the earth at an angle in the high latitude ocean waters.
What is thought to be most responsible for the salinity of the oceans?
The salinity of the oceans is primarily attributed to the weathering of rocks on land, which releases minerals and salts that are carried to the sea by rivers. Additionally, volcanic activity and hydrothermal vents contribute to ocean salinity by releasing minerals directly into the water. Evaporation also plays a role, concentrating salts in areas with high evaporation rates, such as in warm, arid regions. Together, these processes establish and maintain the overall salinity of ocean waters.
Suppose the salinity of surface ocean water is high in a particular place what might you infer about the area's rates of evaporation?
If the salinity of surface ocean water is high in a particular place, it suggests that there is high evaporation rates in that area. As water evaporates, it leaves behind salt, increasing the salinity of the remaining water.
