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Thursday, 29 November 2012

Oceans do not mix here!

Fact or Fiction?

Gulf of Alaska

Is it really possible that on earth there is a place where the two oceans often meet but they do not get mix along with each other?
These two oceans meet in the middle of The Gulf of Alaska and the meeting point could be seen as a border of foam developing at the junction of these two oceans. 

The Answer is: Fact


Reason:

The reason behind this, is pretty similar to one what we see when we try to mix oil and water, but they don't get, instead oil floats on the surface of the water (which is also one of the greatest reason we are experiencing environment disaster when the oil tankers meet any accident, but that is different). 
This abnormality occurs, since, the one water body consist of perfectly melting glaciers of fresh water while on the other hand the other ocean consist of highly concentrated salt water which results the tow ocean bodies of water to have different densities and therefore makes it difficult to mix. Because of the difference in the concentration of salt between the two oceans, a surface tension is developed between the two oceans acting like a thin wall that doesn't allows them to get mix. But eventually, they will mix together over given enough amount of time.

Gulf of Alaska

The above picture is the meeting point of the 2 different oceans water bodies, in the middle of Alaskan Gulf, where a foam wall is formed. It was captured by a person on Alaskan Cruise.