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Chartarum t1_is35oyz wrote

Reply to comment by Chlorophilia in Does the salinity of ocean water increase as depth increases? by rhinotomus

Wouldn't underwater volcanic activity and thermal vents be able heat up at least some deep water and lower its density causing it to rise? At least on a local scale?

Or is the amount of heat/energy released in such areas and processes just too small to matter in any significant way?

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Chlorophilia t1_is36q3w wrote

Locally yes, and these plumes can be biologically and geochemically important. But if we're thinking about the large-scale overturning circulation of the ocean, these heat sources are negligibly small (not to mention the fact that there's no direct correlation between where these vents are and where upwelling of deep waters occurs).

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