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Gulf Of Alaska: Two Oceans Meet But Do Not Mix"? - Science/Technology - Nairaland

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Gulf Of Alaska: Two Oceans Meet But Do Not Mix"? by dwebwalker(m): 8:36pm On Feb 04, 2016
A picture from the Gulf of Alaska that has been making the rounds on the Internet for the last few years -- though particularly in recent weeks -- shows a strange natural phenomenon that occurs when heavy, sediment-laden water from glacial valleys and rivers pours into the open ocean. There in the gulf, the two types of water run into each other, a light, almost electric blue merging with a darker slate-blue.

Informally dubbed “the place where two oceans meet,” the explanation for the photo is a simple one, though there are many misconceptions about it, including that catchy title. In particular on popular link-sharing website Reddit, where users have on multiple occasions erroneously attributed the photo’s location as “Where the Baltic and North Sea meet” and the two types of water as being completely incapable of ever mixing, instead perpetually butting against each other like a boundary on a map.

You also may have seen a variation on the photo featuring the same phenomenon, taken by photographer Kent Smith while on a July 2010 cruise in the Gulf of Alaska. That photo too has been circulating the web for some time, though the misconceptions about it seem to be less thanks to Smith's explanation of the photo on his Flickr page. That one has also been making the rounds on Reddit and social media for years, and had racked up more than 860,000 views by early 2013 on that one page alone, Smith said.

That original photo, however, originates from a 2007 research cruise of oceanographers studying the role that iron plays in the Gulf of Alaska, and how that iron reaches certain areas in the northern Pacific.

Ken Bruland, professor of ocean sciences at University of California-Santa Cruz, was on that cruise. In fact, he was the one who snapped the pic. He said the purpose of the cruise was to examine how huge eddies -- slow moving currents -- ranging into the hundreds of kilometers in diameter, swirl out from the Alaska coast into the Gulf of Alaska.

Those eddies often carry with them huge quantities of glacial sediment thanks to rivers like Alaska’s 286-mile-long Copper River, prized for its salmon and originating from the Copper Glacier far inland. It empties out east of Prince William Sound, carrying with it all that heavy clay and sediment. And with that sediment comes iron.

“Glacier rivers in the summertime are like buzzsaws eroding away the mountains there,” Bruland said. “In the process, they lift up all this material -- they call it glacial flour -- that can be carried out.”

Once these glacial rivers pour out into the larger body of water, they’re picked up by ocean currents, moving east to west, and begin to circulate there. This is one of the primary methods that iron -- found in the clay and sediment of the glacial runoff -- is transported to iron-deprived regions in the middle of the Gulf of Alaska.

As for that specific photo, Bruland said that it shows the plume of water pouring out from one of these sediment-rich rivers and meeting with the general ocean water. It’s also a falsehood that these two types of water don’t mix at all, he said.

“They do eventually mix, but you do come across these really strong gradients at these specific moments in time,” he said. Such borders are never static, he added, as they move around and disappear altogether, depending on the level of sediment and the whims of the water.

There is much study being conducted on how this iron influences marine productivity, in particular its effects on the growth of plankton, which Bruland referred to as “the base of the food chain.”

But rivers aren’t the only way that glacier sediment finds its way into the Gulf of Alaska -- occasionally strong winds can whip up enough silt to create a cloud of dust that’s visible even from space as its being carried out to sea.

So next time somebody shares a “really cool photo” of “the place where two oceans meet,” feel free to let them know the science behind the phenomenon. After all, in this Internet age,


http://www.adn.com/article/mythbusting-place-where-two-oceans-meet-gulf-alaska

21 Likes 7 Shares

Re: Gulf Of Alaska: Two Oceans Meet But Do Not Mix"? by feldido(m): 8:53pm On Feb 04, 2016
We have lots of that in the Niger delta, fresh water and salt water don't mix.

131 Likes 14 Shares

Re: Gulf Of Alaska: Two Oceans Meet But Do Not Mix"? by AceRoyal: 8:55pm On Feb 04, 2016
Science can explain all they can and want but the truth/fact is that GOD IS AWESOMELY GREAT!

581 Likes 47 Shares

Re: Gulf Of Alaska: Two Oceans Meet But Do Not Mix"? by dwebwalker(m): 9:53pm On Feb 04, 2016
The problem with science is, they want to have answers to everything and most times they are wrong...

something's can't be explained... simple

70 Likes 2 Shares

Re: Gulf Of Alaska: Two Oceans Meet But Do Not Mix"? by gen2briz(m): 10:17pm On Feb 04, 2016
Science my foot..... God is wonderful joor

87 Likes 2 Shares

Re: Gulf Of Alaska: Two Oceans Meet But Do Not Mix"? by Boybrano(m): 11:06pm On Feb 04, 2016
That's common man, we have that in kogi where river niger and river benue meets.

11 Likes 1 Share

Re: Gulf Of Alaska: Two Oceans Meet But Do Not Mix"? by dwebwalker(m): 11:18pm On Feb 04, 2016
Boybrano:
That's common man, we have that in kogi where river niger and river benue meets.

sure, that's in lokoja

9 Likes 2 Shares

Re: Gulf Of Alaska: Two Oceans Meet But Do Not Mix"? by Holywizard: 11:50pm On Feb 04, 2016
this kind of wonders are in my village where a black stagnant water dont meet our main stream{ (Eze-Iyi), in English, Water king}. Legend has it dat dey re two enemies & their spirits dnt rapour. If u shud pour de different waters into a container, dey will separate & if it shud be in a bottle & u shake it, de bottle will bust. Spirits still dey exist

18 Likes 1 Share

Re: Gulf Of Alaska: Two Oceans Meet But Do Not Mix"? by tenderlaw(m): 12:09am On Feb 05, 2016
This is easily explained by the presence of seaweed which gives d green shoreline its colour. D dark blue areas are the sudden drop in depth of d land shelf. Just a little geography can do wonders, people. There's no superstition here.

27 Likes 3 Shares

Re: Gulf Of Alaska: Two Oceans Meet But Do Not Mix"? by dwebwalker(m): 12:14am On Feb 05, 2016
grin
Holywizard:
this kind of wonders are in my village where a black stagnant water dont meet our main stream{ (Eze-Iyi), in English, Water king}. Legend has it dat dey re two enemies & their spirits dnt rapour. If u shud pour de different waters into a container, dey will separate & if it shud be in a bottle & u shake it, de bottle will bust. Spirits still dey exist

Now that's a proper Naija guy, I heard something related to that in the Yoruba culture.... nice to hear yours too

8 Likes 1 Share

Re: Gulf Of Alaska: Two Oceans Meet But Do Not Mix"? by MarvelJ: 12:15am On Feb 05, 2016
Noble Verse(s) 55:19-55:22
Yusuf Ali:
[055:019]  He has let free the two bodies of flowing water, meeting together:

[055:020]  Between them is a Barrier which they do not transgress:
[055:021]  Then which of the favours of your Lord will ye deny?

[055:022]  Out of them come Pearls and Coral:
Arabic (from right to left):

‏55:19 مرج البحرين يلتقيان
‏55:20 بينهما برزخ لايبغيان

‏55:21 فباي الاء ربكما تكذبان
‏55:22 يخرج منهما اللؤلؤ والمرجان



The Holy Quran is not only full of miracles but it is a miracle in itself. In its verses Allah, the Supreme Creator (or God Almighty) has invited all intelligent human beings to ponder over His marvelous creations and gain knowledge. Modern science is discovering slowly the events/objects that have been revealed to Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) over 1400 years ago through the Holy Quran.
One of such great miracle is the meeting of two oceans/seas in such a way that they flow side by side, or even within each other, but they don’t mix and mingle. In many places around this world there are two masses of sweet-water and salt-water flowing side by side at the same place but without mixing or mingling with each other

237 Likes 52 Shares

Re: Gulf Of Alaska: Two Oceans Meet But Do Not Mix"? by rerhji(m): 12:16am On Feb 05, 2016
all dis have been explained in d holy Quran

78 Likes 9 Shares

Re: Gulf Of Alaska: Two Oceans Meet But Do Not Mix"? by dwebwalker(m): 12:19am On Feb 05, 2016
tenderlaw:
This is easily explained by the presence of seaweed which gives d green shoreline its colour. D dark blue areas are the sudden drop in depth of d land shelf. Just a little geography can do wonders, people. There's no superstition here.
undecided
tenderlaw:
This is easily explained by the presence of seaweed which gives d green shoreline its colour. D dark blue areas are the sudden drop in depth of d land shelf. Just a little geography can do wonders, people. There's no superstition here.

your explanations no gel at all... if u don't believe in superstition... just know that something's are beyond science and beyond your understanding

14 Likes 1 Share

Re: Gulf Of Alaska: Two Oceans Meet But Do Not Mix"? by fabiomatic(m): 12:22am On Feb 05, 2016
MarvelJ:

Noble Verse(s) 55:19-55:22
Yusuf Ali:
[055:019]  He has let free the two bodies of flowing water, meeting together:

[055:020]  Between them is a Barrier which they do not transgress:
[055:021]  Then which of the favours of your Lord will ye deny?

[055:022]  Out of them come Pearls and Coral:
Arabic (from right to left):

‏55:19 مرج البحرين يلتقيان
‏55:20 بينهما برزخ لايبغيان

‏55:21 فباي الاء ربكما تكذبان
‏55:22 يخرج منهما اللؤلؤ والمرجان



The Holy Quran is not only full of miracles but it is a miracle in itself. In its verses Allah, the Supreme Creator (or God Almighty) has invited all intelligent human beings to ponder over His marvelous creations and gain knowledge. Modern science is discovering slowly the events/objects that have been revealed to Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) over 1400 years ago through the Holy Quran.
One of such great miracle is the meeting of two oceans/seas in such a way that they flow side by side, or even within each other, but they don’t mix and mingle. In many places around this world there are two masses of sweet-water and salt-water flowing side by side at the same place but without mixing or mingling with each other
you spoke my mind. jazakumullah khairan.

103 Likes 16 Shares

Re: Gulf Of Alaska: Two Oceans Meet But Do Not Mix"? by fabiomatic(m): 12:24am On Feb 05, 2016
rerhji:
all dis have been explained in d holy Quran
they will not wanna hear. but the fact is; Qur'an contains what sciences can't explain.

52 Likes 8 Shares

Re: Gulf Of Alaska: Two Oceans Meet But Do Not Mix"? by dwebwalker(m): 12:28am On Feb 05, 2016
MarvelJ:

Noble Verse(s) 55:19-55:22
Yusuf Ali:
[055:019]  He has let free the two bodies of flowing water, meeting together:

[055:020]  Between them is a Barrier which they do not transgress:
[055:021]  Then which of the favours of your Lord will ye deny?

[055:022]  Out of them come Pearls and Coral:
Arabic (from right to left):

‏55:19 مرج البحرين يلتقيان
‏55:20 بينهما برزخ لايبغيان

‏55:21 فباي الاء ربكما تكذبان
‏55:22 يخرج منهما اللؤلؤ والمرجان



The Holy Quran is not only full of miracles but it is a miracle in itself. In its verses Allah, the Supreme Creator (or God Almighty) has invited all intelligent human beings to ponder over His marvelous creations and gain knowledge. Modern science is discovering slowly the events/objects that have been revealed to Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) over 1400 years ago through the Holy Quran.
One of such great miracle is the meeting of two oceans/seas in such a way that they flow side by side, or even within each other, but they don’t mix and mingle. In many places around this world there are two masses of sweet-water and salt-water flowing side by side at the same place but without mixing or mingling with each other

Wow now I have learnt something new thanks man...

26 Likes 3 Shares

Re: Gulf Of Alaska: Two Oceans Meet But Do Not Mix"? by MarvelJ: 12:33am On Feb 05, 2016
fabiomatic:
you spoke my mind. jazakumullah khairan.

Wa iyakum brother...

17 Likes 3 Shares

Re: Gulf Of Alaska: Two Oceans Meet But Do Not Mix"? by MarvelJ: 12:34am On Feb 05, 2016
dwebwalker:


Wow now I have learnt something new thanks man...

The quran has said a lot brother. Too bad we have few bad eggs in every religion, tribe.

20 Likes

Re: Gulf Of Alaska: Two Oceans Meet But Do Not Mix"? by Jostico: 12:43am On Feb 05, 2016
all you have to do is respect God.

5 Likes

Re: Gulf Of Alaska: Two Oceans Meet But Do Not Mix"? by tenderlaw(m): 1:24am On Feb 05, 2016
dwebwalker:
undecided

your explanations no gel at all... if u don't believe in superstition... just know that something's are beyond science and beyond your understanding

My good man, why don't you use google one of these days? It doesn't kill, you know. I'm sure it'll rather cure most of this stupidity you were born with.

9 Likes 1 Share

Re: Gulf Of Alaska: Two Oceans Meet But Do Not Mix"? by Nobody: 1:38am On Feb 05, 2016
The glaciers are melting fast. In afew years, with the raised water levels, most of the earth will be oozing with water. Myserious water bodies have already started appearing in the Sahara desert


http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/aug/01/mysterious-lake-tunisian-desert-turquoise-green-sludge
Re: Gulf Of Alaska: Two Oceans Meet But Do Not Mix"? by dwebwalker(m): 1:43am On Feb 05, 2016
tenderlaw:


My good man, why don't you use google one of these days? It doesn't kill, you know. I'm sure it'll rather cure most of this stupidity you were born with.

Wow so there is something called Google... Tender law,enlighten me please.

1 Like

Re: Gulf Of Alaska: Two Oceans Meet But Do Not Mix"? by Sibrah: 2:16am On Feb 05, 2016
MarvelJ:

Noble Verse(s) 55:19-55:22
Yusuf Ali:
[055:019]  He has let free the two bodies of flowing water, meeting together:

[055:020]  Between them is a Barrier which they do not transgress:
[055:021]  Then which of the favours of your Lord will ye deny?

[055:022]  Out of them come Pearls and Coral:
Arabic (from right to left):

‏55:19 مرج البحرين يلتقيان
‏55:20 بينهما برزخ لايبغيان

‏55:21 فباي الاء ربكما تكذبان
‏55:22 يخرج منهما اللؤلؤ والمرجان



The Holy Quran is not only full of miracles but it is a miracle in itself. In its verses Allah, the Supreme Creator (or God Almighty) has invited all intelligent human beings to ponder over His marvelous creations and gain knowledge. Modern science is discovering slowly the events/objects that have been revealed to Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) over 1400 years ago through the Holy Quran.
One of such great miracle is the meeting of two oceans/seas in such a way that they flow side by side, or even within each other, but they don’t mix and mingle. In many places around this world there are two masses of sweet-water and salt-water flowing side by side at the same place but without mixing or mingling with each other
On a flat earth abi. keep pushing yourself hard.

7 Likes 1 Share

Re: Gulf Of Alaska: Two Oceans Meet But Do Not Mix"? by OlayinkaFawaz(m): 2:21am On Feb 05, 2016
standing akimbo
Re: Gulf Of Alaska: Two Oceans Meet But Do Not Mix"? by VcStunner(m): 5:14am On Feb 05, 2016
AceRoyal:
Science can explain all they can and want but the truth/fact is that GOD IS AWESOMELY GREAT!
and then you fail to realize that he gave u power to understand the phenomenon and den subdue it. Science is the new religion smiley
God is awesome and he made a scientist in his image so we're awesome in that likeness. Find knowledge and you will find your power I tell you smiley

11 Likes

Re: Gulf Of Alaska: Two Oceans Meet But Do Not Mix"? by MarvelJ: 6:15am On Feb 05, 2016
Sibrah:
On a flat earth abi. keep pushing yourself hard.

Sorry I dont get your sentence.

9 Likes

Re: Gulf Of Alaska: Two Oceans Meet But Do Not Mix"? by Holywizard: 6:52am On Feb 05, 2016
dwebwalker:
grin

Now that's a proper Naija guy, I heard something related to that in the Yoruba culture.... nice to hear yours too
tnks man
Re: Gulf Of Alaska: Two Oceans Meet But Do Not Mix"? by softandsweet(f): 6:54am On Feb 05, 2016
Mysteries of the world.
Re: Gulf Of Alaska: Two Oceans Meet But Do Not Mix"? by closeup2000: 7:07am On Feb 05, 2016
means I'm inclined to say this;there is no dirty water actually,we just have water that the body doesn't want..
Re: Gulf Of Alaska: Two Oceans Meet But Do Not Mix"? by Nobody: 7:28am On Feb 05, 2016
dwebwalker:
The problem with science is, they want to have answers to everything and most times they are wrong...

something's can't be explained... simple
God creates, science explains to a layman understanding !

2 Likes

Re: Gulf Of Alaska: Two Oceans Meet But Do Not Mix"? by Dabss(m): 7:34am On Feb 05, 2016
Holywizard:
this kind of wonders are in my village where a black stagnant water dont meet our main stream{ (Eze-Iyi), in English, Water king}. Legend has it dat dey re two enemies & their spirits dnt rapour. If u shud pour de different waters into a container, dey will separate & if it shud be in a bottle & u shake it, de bottle will bust. Spirits still dey exist
hmmm, ma nigga this your story get as e be .

1 Like

Re: Gulf Of Alaska: Two Oceans Meet But Do Not Mix"? by steppins: 7:56am On Feb 05, 2016
Holywizard:
this kind of wonders are in my village where a black stagnant water dont meet our main stream{ (Eze-Iyi), in English, Water king}. Legend has it dat dey re two enemies & their spirits dnt rapour. If u shud pour de different waters into a container, dey will separate & if it shud be in a bottle & u shake it, de bottle will bust. Spirits still dey exist
African mentality.

2 Likes

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