The Three-dimensional Temperature Distribution and its Variation in Time 141 



{a) Mean Sea Surface Temperature 



It seems to be unnecessary to give a detailed description of the graphical distribu- 

 tion of surface temperature here. Reference is made to Plate 2a and b\ this chart will 

 give a better conception of the actual conditions to the reader than the most accurate 

 description. It might be useful, however, to mention the main features of the tem- 

 perature distribution. 



Krummel (1907) and Bohnecke (1936) have derived from the mean values for 

 1 0° zones the values shown in Table 64 for the mean surface temperatures of the oceans. 



Table 64. Mean surface temperature of the oceans (°C) 



The mean annual sea surface temperature of 17-4°C thus exceeds the mean annual 

 surface temperature of the air near the ground (land and sea) given by Hann, 14-4°C, 

 by a full 3°C. There is thus a considerable difference in temperature between the 

 hydrosphere and the atmosphere at the sea surface interface. Table 65 presents the 

 mean annual temperatures for the three oceans and for the entire ocean surface 

 separately for 10° zones. 



Table 65. Mean annual sea surface temperature for 10° zones (°C) 



It can be seen from this table that the Pacific is the warmest ocean and the Atlantic 

 is the coldest. This is partly a consequence of the configuration of the three oceans; 

 the Pacific Ocean is more of a tropical ocean because three-fifths of its total surface 

 lie between 30° N. and 30° S. The Atlantic, on the other hand, is rather narrow 

 just in the tropics. The Tables also show that in the sea (as in the atmosphere) the 



