Geography • World GeographyHard
Consider the following statements regarding deep-water ocean circulation and thermohaline conveyor belts: 1. Deep ocean water formation occurs primarily in high-latitude regions such as the North Atlantic and around Antarctica where surface water cools and increases in density. 2. The global conveyor belt circulation loop completes its cycle within a few decades, driven exclusively by tidal friction and wind shear stress. 3. Downwelling of cold, dense water in polar regions initiates the deep return flow of the global ocean thermohaline system. Which of the statements given above are correct?
A. 1 and 3 only✓ Correct Answer
B. 2 only
C. 1 and 2 only
D. 1, 2 and 3
💡 Solution & Explanation
Statement 1 is correct because polar cooling and brine rejection during sea-ice formation increase water density, causing it to sink. Statement 2 is incorrect because the thermohaline conveyor belt is driven by temperature and salinity density differences, taking over a thousand years to complete a full global cycle, not decades. Statement 3 is correct because polar downwelling supplies dense water that feeds deep ocean basins. Ocean circulation regulates global climate stability.
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