HEAT

• the energy of interatomic forces

• the kinetic energy of moving molecules in a

substances

• the speedier the chaotic motions of these

molecules – more energy present – T higher

• the dynamic concept of energy being transferred

to or from an object/system/surroundings

• Source:
- solar radiation,
- transfer from atmosphere, or from sediments
- indirect heating from groundwater & springs
(hot springs & volcanic lakes)
- condensation of water vapor at the water
surface provide heat input to the lake from the air

• lost of heat:
- thermal radiation
- specific conduction to the air & sediments
- through evaporation
- through outflow (esp reservoir)
Hot/cold
stream inflow Evaporation

Diffusion Upwelling of
cool water
Downwelling
of warm water

Geothermal
heating

The major heat and water flows

the retention of heat is depend on factors that
influence its distribution:

- physical work of wind energy

- currents & other water movements
- morphometry of lake basin
- water losses
- patterns of thermal stratification

• convection current occur when the surface

waters are cooled, become more dense & sink

• heat budgets:
- the heat absorbed by a body of water during
some period of time

• annual heat budget:

- total amount of heat that enters a lake from its
lowest mean T of the year to its highest
- total heat gained during the year (calories per
square cm)
- lakes in tropical & polar regions have low heat
budgets because annual T contrasts are not great
- positive correlation b/ween volume
(morphology) and budget
The importance of heat in lakes

• lake structure – responsible for establishing

thermal stratification

• regulates the rates of chemical reaction &

biological processes

• the rate of recycling of organic & mineral

components increases with T

• chemical reactions & biological activities double

with 10ºC increase in T

T Metabolic rate Demand on the DO

• during summer the filtration & excretion rates of

zoo plankton increase – fecal pellets for bacteria
to regenerate & recycle increase – algae bloom
• water is most dense at 4ºC
• the density – T relationship: lakes stratify
(separate into distinct layers)
TEMPERATURE STRATIFICATION

Direct stratification:

• Dense cold water lying beneath lighter warm

layers
• 3 regions:
vii.epilimnion:
- Upper warm region
- Mixed thoroughly by wind to a more or less
uniform T

ii. Hypolimnion:
- colder, heavier water
- Little affected by wind action – stagnant
(motionless)

iii. Metalimnion/thermocline
- Separate the epi & hypolimnion
- T drops rapidly with increasing depth
- A layer of intermediate density

• the exact boundaries of the layers are difficult to

detect

• the layers are dynamic, the size of each layer

fluctuates over the season
Heat distribution

• work of the wind required to push the lighter

layers of water downward

• wind work (B) is necessary to accomplish the

downward distribution of heated water to a
particular level of stratification

• B is the opposite of stability

zm
1
B=
A0
∫zo
z(Pi – Pz)Azdz

Ao = A, the surface (cm2)

Az = the area (cm2) at some depth z

z = depth (cm)

Pi = the initial density, constant at all depths

Pz = observed density at depth z, created by the work of

the wind
Stability (S) of stratified lake

• the magnitude of thermal-density stratification &

its resistance to mixing

• stability (S) per unit area of a lake:

- is the quantity of work or mechanical energy
required to mix the entire volume of water to a
uniform T by the wind, w/out addition or subtraction
of heat

• expresses the amount of work needed to prevent

the lake from developing thermal stratification

• evaluates the resistance of that stratification to

disruption by the wind

• evaluates the extent (luas) to which the

hypolimnion is isolated from epilimnetic & surface
movements

• strongly influenced by the lake size &

morphometry

• is greater in the larger lakes

• B + S = G (the amount of work per unit area

needed by the wind to distribute the heat in a lake)