Читать книгу Oceans For Dummies - Joseph Kraynak - Страница 32

The ocean is like a massive version of the heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) units used to heat and cool most homes, but instead of circulating hot and cold air, it captures heat from the sun and distributes it through the circulation of water. Imagine Earth’s frozen poles as air conditioners, the equator as its heater, and the ocean as the blower and ductwork, distributing the heat and cold all around the world.

Ocean currents transport warm water from the equator to the poles and cold water from the poles to the tropics. These currents act like a gigantic conveyor belt, moving warm and cool water to areas of contrasting temperature, thereby keeping the entire planet at a fairly comfortable 58.3 degrees Fahrenheit (on average). Sure, that’s sweater weather for people and might make a polar bear break out in a sweat, but as an average temperature it’s perfect.

Without ocean currents, regional temperatures would be more extreme — super hot at the equator and far more frigid than it already is at the poles — and much less of Earth’s land would be habitable. See Chapter 16 for more about how the ocean circulates water and Chapter 17 for how it influences climate and weather.