Cline (hydrology)

For other uses, see Cline.

In hydrology and related studies, a cline (from Ancient Greek κλίνειν (klínein) 'to lean') is a comparatively thin, typically horizontal layer within a fluid, in which a property of the fluid varies greatly over a relatively short vertical distance.

Two moon jellyfish disturbing a thermocline in the top water layer of Gullmarn fjord, Sweden

Such clines and the respectively varying properties include:

• Chemocline - chemistry^[1]
• Halocline - salinity^[2]
• Lysocline - dissolution of calcite^[3]
• Pycnocline - density^[4]
• Thermocline - temperature^[5]

Notes

1. Pinti 2022.
2. Emelyanov 2005, pp. 28, 47.
3. Emelyanov 2005, pp. 48, 51.
4. Emelyanov 2005, pp. 19, 45, 47.
5. Emelyanov 2005, pp. 19, 29, 47.

References

• Pinti, D.L. (2022). "Chemocline". Encyclopedia of Astrobiology. Springer. p. 1. doi:10.1007/978-3-642-27833-4_5157-3. ISBN 978-3-642-27833-4.
• Emelyanov, Emelyan M. (2005). The Barrier Zones in the Ocean. Springer. ISBN 978-3-540-25391-4.