A VENERABLE CLIMATIC FALLACY 191 



ferred from one latitude to another by the slow creep of the deeper 

 waters of the ocean. This high capacity for heat storage and for 

 slow transfer calls for serious consideration in the study of secular 

 changes of climate. Its high value makes the ocean an important 

 factor in the explanation of geologic climates; but only a factor. 



THE GREAT HEAT-STORAGE CAPACITY OF THE OCEAN 



(r) As is well known, the specific heat of water is roundly about 

 five times that of average rock-substance. (2) The area of the 

 deep ocean — neglecting the shallow waters of the continental shelf — 

 is roundly twice that of the continental areas. (3) If we allow that 

 the secular heating and cooling of the land areas — say such as takes 

 place in changing to and from a glacial period — reaches 1,200 or 1,300 

 feet deeper under the land than under the sea before it is counter- 

 acted by internal heat (which seems, from such data as we have, 

 an over-generous allowance), the depth subject to secular change 

 of temperature under the ocean surface is roundly ten times that 

 under the land surface by reason of the mobility of the water. 

 Combining these, the thermal potency for secular thermal effects 

 is 5 X 2 X 10 in favor of the ocean considered as a climatic influence. 

 This great secular potency is to be combined with the much more 

 transient potency of surficial action in reaching the total influence 

 and the combination will sometimes be additative and sometimes 

 subtractive. 



In this article the choicest bit of evidence that simple sea exten- 

 sion is not a controlling factor has been passed over with little more 

 than mention, and left for consideration in another article, because, 

 in the first place, it was not necessary for the support of the main 

 proposition and, in the second place, because it forms an admirable 

 introduction to the consideration of the storage capacity and carry- 

 ing power of the ocean. Starting with the existing status, it forms, 

 a first step in the study of the secular effects of the ocean on climate. 

 It prepares the way for passing from the present long-time, long- 

 distance action of the ocean to the greater effects of like kind that 

 obtained at intervals during the geologic ages. 



