Mixed Layers In the Ocean

Julius Busecke

Graduate Research Assistant
Columbia University

Julius Busecke is a Ph.D. candidate at Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University. He received his B.Sc. from the University of Kiel, Germany in 2010. His interests include the ocean's role in the global freshwater cycle, mixing and transport by ocean eddies, and the influence of ocean eddies on the oceanic surface variability.

Webinar Clip
The ocean exchanges properties (temperature, salinity) very slowly at depth, so the only place we are able to see a measurable change is at the surface. By taking a profile of the water column, we can observe that change. In this video, Julius Busecke explains what a pycnocline is and why it is an important part of the mixed layer in the ocean.

Full webinar: Ocean Thinking: Changes In Latitude

Click here for a transcript of this clip (PDF, 38.5 KB).

Resources
Applicable Science Standards
  • Asking Questions and Defining Problems Asking Questions and Defining Problems. A practice of science is to ask and refine questions that lead to descriptions and explanations of how the natural and designed world(s) works and which can be empirically tested.
  • Analyzing and Interpreting Data Analyzing and Interpreting Data. Scientific investigations produce data that must be analyzed in order to derive meaning. Because data patterns and trends are not always obvious, scientists use a range of tools - including tabulation, graphical interpretation, visualization, and statistical analysis - to identify the significant features and patterns in the data. Scientists identify sources of error in the investigations and calculate the degree of certainty in the results. Modern technology makes the collection of large data sets much easier, providing secondary sources for analysis.