Salt ions have a greater mass than water molecules, so anything that increases the concentration of salt in water, such as evaporation, increases the density of that water. As salinity increases, the density of that water increases, causing it to sink below less-dense water. Therefore, deep ocean water mixing is driven by density differences.

This process happens in the North Atlantic where cold, dense water sinks to deep ocean basins and is slowly carried to the tropics, where it is warmed and upwelled. The warmer, less-dense waters are carried back northwards to replace dense, sinking water at the surface. Through the transfer of heat into the atmosphere in the cold polar regions, the process restarts. A simplified version of this is often referred to as the Ocean Conveyor Belt.

Dr. Eric Lindstrom talks about the ocean's memory and how it plays a role in regulating climate [view transcript] Tuning Up the Salinity Model Drs. Eric Lindstrom and Raymond Schmitt [vimeo, 01:32] Great Atmospheric Waves Dr. Raymond Schmitt [vimeo, 01:42] A Delicate Balance Dr. Raymond Schmitt [vimeo, 01:27] The Turbulence Cascade Dr. Andrey Shcherbina [vimeo, 01:08] view all videos in this album [vimeo]

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