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On the gravitational potential energy of vertically stratified water columns

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Summary

An expression for the gravitational potential energy of a vertically stratified water column is obtained for arbitrary temperature distribution. This expression is minimized under the condition that heat content and mass remain unaltered, and the resultant temperature profile compared with those experimentally obtained. A hitherto neglected term in the expression of the potential energy involves atmospheric pressure, and may imply differences in the manners of diffusion and heat and salt.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Scottish Marine Biological Association, Oban, Scotland

    A. Edwards

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  1. A. Edwards
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Edwards, A. On the gravitational potential energy of vertically stratified water columns. PAGEOPH 96, 228–236 (1972). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00875645

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00875645

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