<p>According to <a href="http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/conveyor.html">NOAA</a> It takes almost a 1000 years to complete a cycle. I am not sure how accurate, or where the citation came from their information so take it with a grain of salt. <a href="http://eesc.columbia.edu/courses/ees/climate/lectures/o_circ.html">Lecture notes</a> from one of Columbia University's 2007 "The Climate System" class suggests this process takes between 100-1000 years. This <a href="http://cdiac.ornl.gov/oceans/glodap/glodap_pdfs/Thermohaline.web.pdf">paper</a> says Thermohaline Circulation overturns deep water every 600 years or so.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-04-16T03:25:11.333Z
I've heard 4000 years in a lecture series last week (so I have no quote).
gerrit
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-04-16T03:59:11.443Z
Yes, the papers cite a time period that I thought quite low. Perhaps I am referencing something different?
Neo
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2014-04-16T01:53:47.517Z
2014-04-16T01:53:47.517Z
Neo
<p>What is the period of the thermohaline circulation in the ocean? Obviously, individual particles may take longer or shorter, but what is the average for a small water parcel to do a full loop and end up back in the same place?</p>

<ocean><thermohaline-circulation><oceanography>
How long does it take for the ocean conveyor to circulate?
naught101
# How long does it take for the ocean conveyor to circulate?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-04-16)

What is the period of the thermohaline circulation in the ocean? Obviously, individual particles may take longer or shorter, but what is the average for a small water parcel to do a full loop and end up back in the same place?

**Tags:** ocean, thermohaline-circulation, oceanography


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2014-04-16. Score: 11 | Accepted answer

According to [NOAA](http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/conveyor.html) It takes almost a 1000 years to complete a cycle. I am not sure how accurate, or where the citation came from their information so take it with a grain of salt. [Lecture notes](http://eesc.columbia.edu/courses/ees/climate/lectures/o_circ.html) from one of Columbia University's 2007 "The Climate System" class suggests this process takes between 100-1000 years. This [paper](http://cdiac.ornl.gov/oceans/glodap/glodap_pdfs/Thermohaline.web.pdf) says Thermohaline Circulation overturns deep water every 600 years or so.

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: I've heard 4000 years in a lecture series last week (so I have no quote).  
> **username_1**: Yes, the papers cite a time period that I thought quite low. Perhaps I am referencing something different?  

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