0.2 0.3 



0.8 0.9 



0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 

 K 



FIGURE 28 COMPARISON OF k{rj) POINTS FOR A WEAK THERMOCLINE TO 

 THE NORMAL k(i?) CURVE FOR /Vfc=ll°F 



level appears when the value of 77 reaches anywhere from 120 to 140, corre- 

 sponding to a fully developed sea with 2k- to 25-knot winds. Stronger 

 surface conditions tend to destroy the weak thermocline and may eventually 

 affect the main seasonal thermocline. 



If the weak thermocline persists for several days, the lower part of 

 the mixed layer often becomes part of the main thermocline, and eventually 

 the weak thermocline becomes the interface between the mixed layer and the 

 main thermocline as shown in Figure 29. 



FIGURE 29 CONVERSION OF THE WEAK THERMOCLINE TO THE INTERFACE 

 BETWEEN THE MIXED LAYER AND THE MAIN THERMOCLINE 



53 



