# Temperature Gradient in the Oceans **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 21, 2005, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/temperature-gradient-in-the-oceans/332007 "2005-11-21T01:11:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![treis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc79bd/32.png) [@treis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/treis)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2005, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/temperature-gradient-in-the-oceans/332007/1 "2005-11-21T01:11:41Z")
My google-fu has thus far been lacking so I hope the SDMB can help. I am looking for the temperature of the Oceans or other large body of water as a function of depth. Thanks in advanced. ---
**Author:** ![Blake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@Blake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blake)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2005, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/temperature-gradient-in-the-oceans/332007/2 "2005-11-21T01:22:16Z")
> [@treis](#): > > My google-fu has thus far been lacking so I hope the SDMB can help. I am looking for the temperature of the Oceans or other large body of water as a function of depth. Thanks in advanced. [http://www.google.com.au/search?hl=en&q=temperature+profile+ocean&btnG=Google+Search&meta=](http://www.google.com.au/search?hl=en&q=temperature+profile+ocean&btnG=Google+Search&meta=) ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2005, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/temperature-gradient-in-the-oceans/332007/3 "2005-11-21T01:22:21Z")
Don’t have the answer as for a ft per degree, but the top layers have sections of different temps that have sharp breaks. The top most is usually called a theromcline, while others are called thermoclines or thermo layers. Submariens usually hide just below this layers as the layer reflects sonar and thus can hide another reflective item. Also IIRC once you get to a certain depth the temp is basically uniform. ---
**Author:** ![Blake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@Blake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blake)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2005, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/temperature-gradient-in-the-oceans/332007/4 "2005-11-21T01:27:05Z")
[http://images.google.com.au/images?svnum=10&hl=en&lr=&safe=off&q=temperature+depth+ocean&btnG=Search](http://images.google.com.au/images?svnum=10&hl=en&lr=&safe=off&q=temperature+depth+ocean&btnG=Search) ---
**Author:** ![treis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc79bd/32.png) [@treis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/treis)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2005, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/temperature-gradient-in-the-oceans/332007/5 "2005-11-21T01:30:47Z")
Thank you Blake, you get a gold star. ---
**Author:** ![Soylent\_Gene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecae2f/32.png) [@Soylent\_Gene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soylent_Gene)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2005, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/temperature-gradient-in-the-oceans/332007/6 "2005-11-21T06:43:28Z")
> [@treis](#): > > Thank you Blake, you get a gold star. Except those two cites seem to contradict each other. The first seems about right. Though I remember from oceanography class years ago that the deep ocean is a little colder (about 31 to 32 degrees). I’m not sure if I beleive that second cite about the temperature rising after 3000M. ---
**Author:** ![Soylent\_Gene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecae2f/32.png) [@Soylent\_Gene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soylent_Gene)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2005, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/temperature-gradient-in-the-oceans/332007/7 "2005-11-21T06:46:41Z")
this is the wierd one I was talking about [here](http://www.madsci.org/posts/archives/nov2000/975264112.Eg.r.html) (It’s one of the links within the second web site given by Blake) ---
**Author:** ![d1a1s1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f6c823/32.png) [@d1a1s1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/d1a1s1)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2005, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/temperature-gradient-in-the-oceans/332007/8 "2005-11-21T07:00:40Z")
There is no definate Degree/FT in the ocean. There are many factors that effect the temperature of the water…the main ones being season, location, and currents. The main thermocline is actually the depth where temperature begins to change which extends very deep…depending on total water depth and again location, season,…blah blah blah. If you are looking for a temperature of a certain are then it would be easier. There are many sources for this information which I have unlimited access to. ---
**Author:** ![treis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc79bd/32.png) [@treis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/treis)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2005, 7:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/temperature-gradient-in-the-oceans/332007/9 "2005-11-21T07:31:37Z")
Thanks for the offer but I don’t need anything that specific, just a reasonably good estimate. Blake’s site should do smashingly for that.