What is the difference between the temperature of the arctic sea surface and it's deepest waters?

Answer 1

Water is a funny substance. As a norm warm water is less dense, however, water is densest at 4ºC, so water colder than 4ºC is actually less dense as such it rises. So colder water in the arctic ocean sits near the surface.

HOWEVER! Unlike tropical oceans, which are temperature-stratified (i.e. there is a thermocline), the Arctic Ocean is salinity-stratified, although at high latitudes the ocean is much less stable. The temperature profile is nearly uniform at 0 to 1º C in the Arctic Ocean, but the salinity increases slightly with depth, especially at 10-100 m below the surface. The presence of this halocline (salt stratigraphy) is important in the formation of ice. Because of its salt, ocean water freezes only at -1.8ºC. And salt water is most dense at its freezing point, unlike fresh water, which is most dense at 4ºC. So if there were no halocline in the Arctic Ocean, the entire ocean column would have to cool to -1.8º C before its surface could freeze.

Hope that helps :) If you want more clarification, just ask.

Answer 2

The water at the surface of water bodies in arctic areas is frozen whereas below the surface it is in the liquid form. This is bcoz that the density of ice is lesser than water and hence it floats on it. Thus, this physical property of water is used to sustain aquatic life in such areas. As the water is not frozen below the surface therefore aquatic life can survive otherwise it would not have been possible.

Answer 3

THERE IS LITTLE DIFFERENCE IN TEMPERATURE WITH A VARIATION OF ZERO TO PLUS 1 DEGREE C.