In the ocean how does water temperature change as depth increases?

In the ocean, water temperature generally decreases with increasing depth due to the absorption of sunlight by the surface layer, which warms it. This phenomenon creates distinct thermal layers, with the warmest water found near the surface and a rapid drop in temperature occurring in the upper few hundred meters, known as the thermocline. Below the thermocline, temperatures stabilize and remain cold, often near freezing in the deep ocean.