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← GeographyWhich mechanism initiates thermohaline circulation when surface seawater freezes near polar regions?
A)Salt exclusion increasing density and inducing sinking✓
B)Water expansion decreasing local sea level height
C)Albedo reduction increasing solar radiation absorption
D)Latent heat release warming adjacent ocean layers
💡 Explanation
When seawater freezes, salt exclusion occurs because ice lattice structures reject salt ions, enriching the remaining water's salinity and hence density, causing it to sink and drive thermohaline circulation. Therefore, density increase & sinking results, rather than level change, albedo change, or latent heating, requiring different processes.
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