The thermohaline circulation transports heat in the same direction as the wind-driven circulation in the Northern Hemisphere.

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BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

This true/false question asks whether the thermohaline circulation transports heat in the same direction as the wind-driven circulation in the Northern Hemisphere.

First, consider what each component does: the thermohaline circulation (THC) is a global overturning system driven by density differences due to temperature and salinity. In the Northern Hemisphere, the THC tends to move heat from lower latitudes toward higher latitudes, most notably transporting warm Atlantic surface waters northward and returning cooler waters southward at depth, which acts to redistribute heat toward the poles.

Next, think about wind-driven circulation: this refers to the surface currents created by wind patterns, which organize into the major gyres. In the Northern Hemisphere, these subtropical gyres move warm water poleward along the western boundaries (for example, the Gulf Stream in the North Atlantic) and tend to transport heat toward higher latitudes as well. There is a broad, regionally integrated tendency for the wind-driven surface circulation to convey heat poleward, particularly in the Atlantic and Pacific basins.

With that in mind, the dominant directional effect of both systems in the Northern Hemisphere is toward higher latitudes, especially for the Northern Hemisphere’s major basins. This means the net heat transport contributed by THC generally aligns with the poleward heat transport driven by the wind-driven circulation, though the two systems operate on different parts of the ocean (surface versus deeper flows) and can have regional differences or counter-flows locally.

However, to evaluate the statement as a whole, the key point is whether the overall heat transport direction from THC is in the same sense as the wind-driven circulation in the NH. Given that both tend to move heat northward and contribute to poleward heat redistribution rather than equatorward, the statement is consistent with the general, large-scale behavior discussed in oceanography.

Note that there are nuances: in some regions or during certain dynamical states, the two circulations may exhibit complex interactions or partial cancellation locally, and THC’s contribution is not solely about surface heat transport but also involves deep-ocean pathways. Nevertheless, the broad assessment aligns in the same directional sense for the Northern Hemisphere.

Therefore, the option stating that they transport heat in the same direction is correct.

CLMTGR5001_002_2025_3 - Dynamics of Climate Variability and Chan PRACTICE QUIZ: Week 7 Lecture 3

The thermohaline circulation transports heat in the same direction as the wind-driven circulation in the Northern Hemisphere.

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