The Global Conveyor Belt Thermohaline Circulation

[kentish maid]

Ok so we know that the oceans are dominated by the global conveyor belt thermohaline circulation. And from my understanding this circulation comes up from the bay of biscay direction (I know it circulates the world) and then veers round to the south west and off to the caribbean and onwards for the rest of its journey.

My question is the Gulf stream effectively runs through this circulation and carries on in our direction from the SW and then on and up over Scandanavia.

So here comes the million dollar question - Why doesn't the circulation of the global conveyor belt shift this movement and take the gulf stream with it on its travel south westwards instead of allowing it to pass right through and onwards to northern Scandanavia?

Is it simply because these two forces are working at different depths in the ocean and therefore do not affect one another?

Edited March 11, 2006 by kentish maid

[kentish maid]

Did my question make no sense at all? Apologies of it did. Does anyone know where I am coming from though?

[johnholmes]

I'm no expert KM so feel unable to give a sensible answer. I'm sure one of our psoters will see this and get it going for you.

regards

John

[BrickFielder]

I think you are mixing up ocean currents and air circulations. Essentially the gulf stream is part of the conveyor belt. Warm water goes past the gulf of mexico in a thick ribbon on the surface.

Of the East coast of the US it splits up some going on north to labrador and green land and some moving across the atlantic up to north of scandinavia. Cold Water at northern Latitudes in the Atlantic sinks to the bottom and moves south . In this way we have a conveyor or warm water on the surface moving north and cold water moving south at the bottom of the ocean. This joins up with other water movements that moves water around the globe. I will look up some more details tomorrow to explain it.

As for the bay of biscay I don't think that is quite right and you may be confusing the Walker /Ferrel cell atmospheric circulations.Again perhaps more tomorrow.

[BrickFielder]

The gulf stream

The Thermohaline circulation

Circulation Changes

[kentish maid]

The gulf stream

The Thermohaline circulation

Circulation Changes

Hi BF

Thanks for those links, very informative

I guess it is to do with currents and circulations at different levels as to why they do not intefert with each other.

Thanks for your help