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← GeographyWhich process primarily drives thermohaline circulation in the ocean during winter?
A)Increased seawater density from cooling✓
B)Elevated solar radiation at the equator
C)Decreased wind stress on surface waters
D)Intensified upwelling along coastal regions
💡 Explanation
When surface water cools in winter, its density increases because cold water molecules pack more closely, causing dense water to sink and drive thermohaline circulation. Therefore increased density is the primary driver, rather than solar radiation, reduced wind, or coastal upwelling which require different drivers related to insolation heating, momentum transfer, or bathymetry.
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