Podcast
Questions and Answers
What is the effect of Ekman transport in the Northern Hemisphere?
What is the effect of Ekman transport in the Northern Hemisphere?
What forms at the center of a subtropical gyre due to water piling up?
What forms at the center of a subtropical gyre due to water piling up?
How does the Coriolis effect influence geostrophic currents?
How does the Coriolis effect influence geostrophic currents?
Which current is significantly faster than the California current?
Which current is significantly faster than the California current?
Signup and view all the answers
What is western intensification?
What is western intensification?
Signup and view all the answers
What effect does the Coriolis effect have on water flowing towards the equator?
What effect does the Coriolis effect have on water flowing towards the equator?
Signup and view all the answers
What happens to the velocity of water around the apex of the hill in a gyre?
What happens to the velocity of water around the apex of the hill in a gyre?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the term used to describe the slower flow of water across the subtropical gyre?
What is the term used to describe the slower flow of water across the subtropical gyre?
Signup and view all the answers
What causes equatorial upwelling?
What causes equatorial upwelling?
Signup and view all the answers
What effect does downwelling have on deep sea conditions?
What effect does downwelling have on deep sea conditions?
Signup and view all the answers
Why is the equator considered a prolific fishing ground?
Why is the equator considered a prolific fishing ground?
Signup and view all the answers
Which of the following describes the path of water during downwelling?
Which of the following describes the path of water during downwelling?
Signup and view all the answers
What role do coastal winds play in upwelling and downwelling?
What role do coastal winds play in upwelling and downwelling?
Signup and view all the answers
What occurs when surface waters converge?
What occurs when surface waters converge?
Signup and view all the answers
What is a characteristic of downwelling regions?
What is a characteristic of downwelling regions?
Signup and view all the answers
How does Ekman transport influence surface water movement in the Northern Hemisphere?
How does Ekman transport influence surface water movement in the Northern Hemisphere?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the effect of Ekman transport when it brings water away from the shoreline?
What is the effect of Ekman transport when it brings water away from the shoreline?
Signup and view all the answers
Which of the following factors can cause other water pathways besides Ekman transport?
Which of the following factors can cause other water pathways besides Ekman transport?
Signup and view all the answers
What occurs during the warm phase of the El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO)?
What occurs during the warm phase of the El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO)?
Signup and view all the answers
What happens to water levels in the western Pacific during the ENSO warm phase?
What happens to water levels in the western Pacific during the ENSO warm phase?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the main cause of extreme weather conditions during ENSO events?
What is the main cause of extreme weather conditions during ENSO events?
Signup and view all the answers
During the cool phase of ENSO, what is true about the air pressure in the western Pacific?
During the cool phase of ENSO, what is true about the air pressure in the western Pacific?
Signup and view all the answers
What is a characteristic effect of the ENSO cool phase on trade winds?
What is a characteristic effect of the ENSO cool phase on trade winds?
Signup and view all the answers
How frequently do El Nino and La Nina events occur?
How frequently do El Nino and La Nina events occur?
Signup and view all the answers
What effect does upwelling have on water sources according to the provided information?
What effect does upwelling have on water sources according to the provided information?
Signup and view all the answers
What happens in terms of water dynamics when coastal winds blow offshore?
What happens in terms of water dynamics when coastal winds blow offshore?
Signup and view all the answers
Study Notes
Ocean Circulation
- Ekman transport moves water to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and to the left in the Southern Hemisphere. This is due to the Coriolis effect.
- Ekman transport contributes to the clockwise rotation of northern subtropical gyres.
- Subtropical convergence creates water hills in the center of gyres. These "water hills" can be up to 2 meters higher than the surrounding water.
- Geostrophic currents are a result of the balance between gravity and the Coriolis effect. Gravity pulls water downhill, while the Coriolis effect curves the flow.
- The net effect of these forces results in a circular current around the water hill.
- Geostrophic currents move in a circular path around the water hill.
- The apex of the water hill is closest to the western boundary current.
- Western boundary currents are faster, narrower, and deeper than eastern boundary currents. An example is the Kuroshio current.
- Western intensification is the phenomenon where currents near the western edges of ocean basins are stronger than those near the eastern edges. This is due to the Coriolis effect in combination with the shape of the water hills.
- Western intensification impacts the flow of water toward the equator.
- Upwelling occurs due to the divergence of surface waters or from coastal winds.
- Downwelling occurs due to the convergence of surface waters.
- Upwelling and downwelling are driven by the need to fill gaps in volume. Water lost equals upwelling, water gained equals downwelling.
- Coastal winds can cause upwelling/downwelling due to Ekman transport. This depends on whether winds are blowing parallel to the coast in a way that pushes water away from the coast.
- Other factors that may cause upwelling (or downwelling) include offshore winds, seafloor obstructions, coastal geometry bends
El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO)
- ENSO leads to extreme conditions like droughts and extreme rainfall.
- ENSO is caused by the weakening of Pacific winds and belts. This weakens the trade winds and results in the changing pressure between the west and east of the Pacific.
- During an El Niño event, pressure decreases in the east and central Pacific, and it increases in the west. The opposite is true for La Niña.
- ENSO events are caused by changes in winds and pressure patterns.
- El Niño and La Niña occur every 2 to 10 years.
- El Niño events are characterized by warming of waters in the equatorial Pacific and weakening trade winds.
- During El Niño, the Pacific Warm Pool can flow back eastward, enhancing upwelling and mixing reducing the thermocline.
- La Niña is an event opposite from El Niño.
- In La Niña, air pressure is higher than normal in the west.
Studying That Suits You
Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.
Related Documents
Description
This quiz explores key concepts of ocean circulation, including Ekman transport, geostrophic currents, and the dynamics of subtropical gyres. Understand how the Coriolis effect influences water movement and the differences between western and eastern boundary currents. Test your knowledge on how these processes shape our oceanic systems.
