Oceanography Notes PDF - Coriolis Effect, Currents, and Ocean Pollution

Oceanography notes Coriolis effect: -A force caused by Earth’s rotation, deflecting the water movement to the right (Northern Hemisphere) and to the left ( Southern Hemisphere) -Different latitudes travel at different speeds - The change in speed with latitude causes Coriolis effect Current: -...

Oceanography notes Coriolis effect: -A force caused by Earth’s rotation, deflecting the water movement to the right (Northern Hemisphere) and to the left ( Southern Hemisphere) -Different latitudes travel at different speeds - The change in speed with latitude causes Coriolis effect Current: -Flow of charged particles moving in a circular motion and different from waves Why do surface currents move at an angle to the wind? -Surface currents move at an angle due to Coriolis effect, causing the current to flow at a 45 degree angle relative to the wind directions Key Point: -Wind drives currents, meaning wind blowing across the ocean surface pushes the water currents Ekman Transport: -Average movement of water is 90 degree moving swirl -Generates vertical water motions (upwelling + downwelling) Upwelling: -is when from North, goes to shore -movement of deep water to surface (rather cold) Downwelling: - is wind from South off shore due to Coriolis effect -movement of surface water down ( rather warm) Convection cell: -a circular pattern of fluid movement where warmer, fluid rises and cooler, making it is less dense. -cooler, denser fluid sinks = creating a cycle of rising and falling currents within a fluid like air or water Gyre: -a circular ocean current formed by Earth's wind patterns and the forces created by the rotation of the planet ENSO ( El Niño Southern Oscillation) : -Water surface currents in equatorial eastern Pacific that occurs periodically around christmas Thermocline: -the transition layer between warmer mixed water at the ocean's surface and cooler deep water below Thermohaline Circulation: -the movement of ocean currents that's driven by differences in water density How can abiotic stressors in the pelagic zone have caused species to develop biotic responses and adaptations? -In the open ocean (pelagic zone), things like temperature, light, and oxygen levels can be tough for marine life. -To survive, species have adapted in different ways—some fish have dark backs and light bellies to blend in, deep-sea creatures glow in the dark to find food or communicate, and tiny plankton move up and down in the water to stay safe and find food. Stressors: salinity, sunlight, temperature Adaptions: camouflage (others mentioned above) How can plastics affect the open ocean? Microfibers: -can harm the open ocean by polluting the water and being eaten by marine animals. - Small creatures, like fish and plankton, can mistake them for food, which can make them sick and spread plastic up the food chain. - Over time, this pollution can hurt ocean ecosystems and even affect the seafood we eat. Microbeads: -tiny plastic particles that can pollute the open ocean because they don’t break down easily. -Small sea animals, like fish and plankton, can swallow them by mistake, which can make them sick and spread plastic through the food chain. -This pollution harms marine life and can even end up affecting the seafood we eat. Photodegredation: -Sunlight breaks plastic into tiny pieces in the ocean -These tiny plastic bits spread in the water and can be eaten by fish and other sea animals by mistake. -This can harm marine life and even affect the food we eat.