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Physical Process

Lake Thermal Stratification

Hydrological and Oceanic Processes

The layering of a lake's water column into distinct temperature zones during warmer months, with a warm, well-mixed surface layer resting atop colder, denser deep water and separated by a zone of rapid temperature change called the thermocline. This seasonal stratification and its breakdown during autumn and spring turnover strongly govern the mixing of oxygen and nutrients throughout a lake.

Facts
Process Type
Hydrological 1
Sources
1. Lake Thermal Stratification (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationIntroduction
Quote, Introduction
Lake stratification is the tendency of lakes to form separate and distinct thermal layers during warm weather.
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