Ocean Circulation and Water Residence Time
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Questions and Answers

What is the primary driver of the vertical water motions within the surface layer of the ocean?

  • Horizontal movement of surface waters
  • Density changes due to temperature and salinity
  • Evaporation and precipitation
  • Kinetic energy transfer from the wind (correct)

    • What is the main reason that the gyres in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres rotate in opposite directions?

  • The ocean basins have different shapes and sizes in the two hemispheres
  • The density differences between the surface and deep waters are reversed
  • The Coriolis effect acts in opposite directions in the two hemispheres (correct)
  • The trade winds and westerlies change direction between the hemispheres

    • How do the wind-driven surface currents impact climate?

  • They determine the location of major ocean upwelling zones
  • They control the rate of ocean-atmosphere heat exchange
  • They influence the distribution of precipitation and temperature
  • All of the above (correct)

    • What is the primary mechanism by which the ocean and atmosphere exchange energy and matter?

    <p>Evaporation and precipitation</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does the thermohaline circulation impact the residence time of deep ocean water?

    <p>It increases the residence time by slowing the mixing of deep and surface waters</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary cause of the Coriolis effect?

    <p>The rotation of the Earth</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which type of eddy is characterized by a warmer and higher center?

    <p>Anti-cyclonic eddy</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In which direction does air circulation occur for low-pressure systems in the Northern Hemisphere?

    <p>Counterclockwise</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary factor that determines the residence time of deep water in the ocean?

    <p>Thermohaline circulation</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How do eddies in the ocean relate to atmospheric weather systems?

    <p>Eddies are analogous to low and high-pressure systems in the atmosphere</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary cause of the thermohaline circulation?

    <p>Differences in temperature and salinity between regions</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How do wind-driven surface currents impact climate?

    <p>They redistribute heat and moisture globally, influencing weather patterns</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the main reason that the gyres in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres rotate in opposite directions?

    <p>The Coriolis effect caused by the Earth's rotation</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary cause of gyres in the Earth's oceans?

    <p>Coriolis effect and wind patterns</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following currents is part of the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre?

    <p>California Current</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the approximate area occupied by the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre?

    <p>10 million square miles</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the direction of rotation for the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre?

    <p>Clockwise</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the name given to the accumulation of marine debris found within the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre?

    <p>The Great Pacific Garbage Patch</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following factors determine the circulation patterns of gyres?

    <p>Coriolis effect and wind patterns</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How do wind-driven surface currents impact climate?

    <p>They transport heat and moisture, influencing weather patterns</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary driving force behind the Gulf Stream?

    <p>Thermohaline circulation</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is a potential impact of the Gulf Stream on climate?

    <p>It contributes to the development of strong cyclones</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the approximate rate at which the Gulf Stream transports water through the Florida Straits?

    <p>30 million cubic meters per second</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following ocean currents is stronger than the Gulf Stream?

    <p>The Antarctic Circumpolar Current</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the main impact of El Niño on the weather in the central United States?

    <p>Increased rainfall</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following best describes the general pattern of water circulation in the North Atlantic?

    <p>Clockwise, flowing northward along the US coast, then eastward toward Europe</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does El Niño affect the fishing industry off the coast of Peru?

    <p>It prevents colder, nutrient-rich deep water from reaching the surface, harming the fishing industry</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the approximate residence time of deep water in the Pacific Ocean?

    <p>1,000-2,000 years</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Where does the oldest water in the global ocean conveyor belt upwell?

    <p>North Pacific Ocean</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following statements about the Mediterranean Sea is true?

    <p>It is surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land</p> Signup and view all the answers

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