Chapter 4- atmosphere/ocean circulations

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Of the following statements about Ekman spiral and Ekman transport, which is true

Ekman transport is to the right of the wind direction in the Northern Hemisphere

Thermohaline circulation is wind-driven

false

Surface ocean currents

-form large rotating gyres in the major ocean basins -are driven by winds -are influenced by Coriolis effect

To produce a surface current of 1.6 knots in the open ocean, a steady wind of _ knots would be required

80

Which of the following statements is most accurate about tsunami hazards and the number of people at risk

A low tsunami hazard and a high number of people at risk are present along the coast of the eastern United States

Which of the following statements about earthquakes and tsunami hazards is most accurate

A relatively high number of earthquakes and the greatest tsunami hazard occur along the western coast of South America

A. Agulhas current B. Benguela current C. California current D. Canary current E. West Australian current

A. Agulhas current

A. California current B. Canary current C. Gulf Stream D. North Atlantic current E. North Equatorial current

A. California current

The arrangement of water masses in the southern Atlantic Ocean from the surface to the bottom is

Antarctic Intermediate Water, North Atlantic Deep Water, Antarctic Bottom Water

Which body of water is shown with the highest percentage of coastal pollution

Baltic Sea

Of the following currents, which one are parts of the south atlantic subtropical gyre

Benguela current

Which of the following is a western boundary current

Brazil current

A. thermohaline circulation B. density-driven circulation C. antarctic bottom water D. kuroshio current E. north atlantic deep water

D. kuroshio current

A current in the northwestern part of the North Atlantic Subtropical Gyre that transports warm water toward the North Atlantic is called the

Gulf Stream

One of the world's most powerful currents, located off the east coast of the United States, is the

Gulf Stream

Which of the following is not an eastern boundary current

Gulf Stream

Of the following gyres, which one flow in a counterclockwise direction

Indian ocean subtropical gyre

Identify the mismatched pair from the choices below

Labrador Current, Humboldt Current

The Gulf Stream transports warm water into the

North Atlantic

A deep and powerful southward subsurface current the flows under the Gulf Stream in the North Atlantic is the

North Atlantic Deep Water

Of the following surface currents, which one flow from south to north

Peru current

which of the following statements is true of surface ocean currents

Surface currents form the circular patterns in the major ocean basins called "gyres"

An eastern boundary current is generally narrow and swift

false

A doppler flow meter is a scientific instrument used to measure current flow rates

True

Which of the following is true of surface water circulation near Antarctica

Two circumpolar currents dominate it, one current that moves water to the east and one current that moves water to the west

The thermocline is

a steep temperature gradient int eh ocean that separates deeper cold water from warmer upper water

During a strong El Nino event, the news media might be expected to cover

a tropical cyclone in Hawaii or Tahiti

Warm ocean currents

are warmer than surrounding water

Surface currents affect about 90% of the world's ocean water

false

When a meander from the Gulf Stream pinches off and isolates a body of water within the North Atlantic gyre , the body of water is called a

cod core ring

California Current

cold current, northern hemisphere, temperate latitudes

West Wind Drift

cold current, polar latitudes, southern hemisphere

When a meander from the Gulf Stream pinches off into the warm water south of the current, the eddy is called a

cold-core eddy or ring

The coastlines with the greatest tsunami hazard are most commonly associated with what type of plate boundary?

convergent

Downwelling can result from

converging surface currents

Of the following statements about deep ocean currents, which is true

deep ocean currents are important regulators of global climate

The loss of heat from the ocean surface, resulting in lowered temperature, causes ocean water to become

denser

Thermohaline circulation is driven by

density differences

Deep ocean currents are driven primarily by _ and modified by _

density differences; differences in salinity and temperature

The Gulf Stream moves water away from the equator; the Benguela Current moves some of this same water back toward the equator

false

Equatorial currents that are part of the subtropical gyres flow _. Equatorial counter currents between the gyres flow _

east to west; west to west

Which direction do ocean currents in the South Pacific move under El Nino conditions

eastward

Cool ocean currents

generally flow from high latitude towards the equator

Which type of current flow moves in a circular path around a subtropical convergence, reflecting Ekman transport, gravity, and the Coriolis effect

geostrophic circulation

Geostrophic circulation within a gyre driven by

gravity and the Coriolis effect

Deep-Water circulation brings dense, cold, oxygen-rich water from the surface to the deep ocean because of

greater dissolution of oxygen in colder water than warmer water

A large system of rotating ocean currents, usually driven by the major wind belts, is called

gyre

What is the Walker Circulation Cell

it is the path that air takes as it moves from high to low pressure, and back to high pressure, in the south pacific under normal conditions

What is the overall effect of the stronger than normal trade winds typical of La Nina conditions

lowering of the South Pacific ocean temperature from normal conditions

Fluctuations in the flow of the Gulf Stream current result in curving loops of water known as

meanders

Upwelling

movement of water from the bottom to the top of the water column

Ekman transport

net water movement to the left or right of the direction of the wind

Thermohaline circulation in the ocean is driven primarily by differences in _ and _ among the masses

temperature; salinity

Gulf Stream

northern hemisphere, temperate latitudes, warm current

The subtropical gyres

play a large role in climate

Deep ocean currents

result from changes in water density (due to temperature and salt content)

Records indicate that the ocean is warming faster in the Arctic polar regions than anywhere else. If that continues possible consequences could be

slowing of deep ocean circulation, resulting in lower oxygen levels in deep water

What would you expect weather to be like on the eastern coast of Australia if the western coast of South America were experiencing unusually warm, wet weather

the eastern coast of Australia would be experiencing unusually dry weather

The El Nino souther Oscillation can be best described as

the relationship between sea surface temperature and changing atmospheric pressure

What is the Southern Oscillation

the swapping of high and low pressure zones in the South Pacific under El Nino conditions

Deep ocean water can be enriched in oxygen when it is mixed with surface water

true

Deep ocean water masses have characteristic temperatures and salinities

true

The circular movement of surface water currents driven by the major wind belts are called gyres

true

The five subtropical gyres exhibit geostrophic flow, related to pressure gradients, friction, and the Coriolis effect

true

The main current in Antarctic waters is the Antarctic Circumpolar Current, also called the West Wind Drift

true

Under which conditions are droughts and wildfires common in Australia

under El Nino conditions

Surface waters are pushed away from land and replaced by nutrient-rich bottom water through

upwelling

Warm core rings and cold core rings are associated with

western boundary currents

Why does upwelling occur along the west coast of South America under normal conditions

winds moving westward int eh south pacific drive ocean currents toward the west; deep water rises to replace water driven westward


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