The type of heat transfer that doesn't require particles is radiation. This includes both visible light and invisible electromagnetic waves like infrared radiation. It's the reason we feel warmth from the sun even though space is a vacuum devoid of particles.
However, the statement that land masses heat up faster than oceans generally isn't entirely true. It depends on various factors and specific conditions. Here's why:
Specific Heat Capacity: Water has a higher specific heat capacity than land (soil, rock). This means it takes more energy to raise the temperature of water by 1 degree compared to land. So, while both might absorb the same amount of radiation initially, the ocean takes longer to show a noticeable temperature increase.
Transparency: Land is mostly opaque to radiation, absorbing it and converting it into heat. In contrast, water is partially transparent, especially to sunlight. Sunlight can penetrate deeper into water, warming it throughout, not just the surface.
Mixing and Circulation: Oceans experience constant mixing and circulation of water due to waves, currents, and tides. This distributes heat more evenly throughout the water column, preventing rapid surface heating. Land lacks such large-scale movement, leading to localized spikes in temperature.
Evaporation: As water absorbs heat, some evaporates, taking some heat with it. This cools the surface water, creating a counterbalancing effect against warming. Evaporation plays a lesser role in land heating.
Therefore, while the initial absorption of radiation might be faster for land due to its opacity, the ocean's higher specific heat, transparency, and mixing mechanisms generally prevent it from heating up significantly faster than land on average.
It's important to consider specific scenarios and factors like time of day, weather conditions, and water depth when making comparisons.