ocean circulation mastering questions

Surface ocean currents ___.

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

Compared to an eastern boundary current in a gyre, which of the following statements is true for a western boundary current? warmer water narrower current deeper current increased current velocity All the above statements are true of western boundary currents.

All the above statements are true of western boundary currents.

Based on the graph, which of the following has the highest density?

Antarctic Bottom Water (AABW)

Which of the following methods are used to measure ocean surface currents indirectly?

Doppler flow meters

The Benguela Current is an example of which of the following types of currents?

Eastern Boundary Current

The Peru (Humboldt) Current is an example of which of the following types of currents?

Eastern Boundary Current

The West Australian Current is an example of which of the following types of currents?

Eastern Boundary Current

Coastal winds can cause upwelling or downwelling due to which of the following?

Ekman transport

The observation that ships and icebergs in the southern hemisphere float to the left of the wind direction is an example of which of the following?

Ekman transport

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

Ekman transport

Which of the following methods are used to measure deep ocean currents directly?

Free-drifting Argo floats

water flow driven by gravity and modified by the Coriolis effect

Geostrophic current

Which of the following is not an eastern boundary current?

Gulf Stream

Which of the following currents is responsible for Peru becoming the largest producer of fish, from the sea, in the world?

Humboldt Current

Examine the five words and/or phrases and determine the relationship among the majority of words/phrases. Choose the one option that does not fit the pattern. North Atlantic Deep Water Kuroshio Current Density-driven circulation Antarctic Bottom Water Thermohaline circulation

Kuroshio Current

Identify the mismatched pair from the choices below. Kuroshio Current, California Current Labrador Current, Humboldt Current Brazil Current, Benguela Current Canary Current, Gulf Stream Agulhas Current, West Australia Current

Labrador Current, Humboldt Current

The Sargasso Sea is the water that circulates around the rotation center of the ________ gyre.

North Atlantic

The North Atlantic Current is an example of which of the following types of currents?

Northern Boundary Current

Which ocean condition(s) would result in downwelling?

Onshore Ekman transport

The deepest and densest water mass in the world ocean is formed in the __________________.

Southern Ocean

Which of the following statements is true of surface ocean currents? Surface currents concentrate warm water in the center of the gyre at mid latitudes. Surface currents form circular patterns in the major ocean basins called "gyres." Surface currents transport warm water toward the equator. Surface currents occur within and below the pycnocline. Surface currents transport cold water toward the poles.

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

The Antarctic Circumpolar Current is also known as which of the following?

West Wind Drift

The Agulhas Current is an example of which of the following types of currents?

Western Boundary Current

The Kuroshio (Japan) Current is an example of which of the following types of currents?

Western Boundary Current

Warm ocean currents ___.

are warmer than the surrounding water

An increase in seawater density can be caused by a ________ in temperature or a/an ________ in salinity.

decrease; increase

Deep ocean currents are driven primarily by ________ .

density differences

Thermohaline circulation is driven by:

density differences.

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

downwelling

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

east to west; west to east

During winter months, monsoon winds over the Indian Ocean:

flow from land to sea and are dry.

Cool ocean currents ___.

generally flow from high latitudes towards the equator

Which of the following two factors cause geostrophic circulation within a gyre?

gravity and the Coriolis effect.

Deep-water circulation brings oxygen from the surface to the deep ocean because of:

greater dissolution of oxygen in colder water than warmer water.

Deep-water currents move ________ volumes of water and are much ________ than surface currents.

larger; slower

Ocean surface currents transfer about ________ of the total amount of heat from the tropics to the poles

one third

The subtropical gyres ___.

play a large role in climate

Deep ocean currents ___.

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

Examine the five words and/or phrases and determine the relationship among the majority of words/phrases. Choose the one option that does not fit the pattern. strong trade winds decreased fish stock in coastal Peru Peruvian upwelling stops flooding rains in southeastern United States Australian drought

strong trade winds

The observation of a hill of water within all subtropical gyres is an example of which of the following?

subtropical convergence

Sources of deep water in the ocean include all of the following except:

subtropical convergences.

The El Niño Southern Oscillation can best be described as:

the relationship between sea surface temperature and changing atmospheric pressure.

The Ekman spiral is caused by:

the wind and the Coriolis effect.

In the southern hemisphere, the direction of Ekman transport is always:

to the left of the wind direction.

Equatorial currents are driven by the:

trade winds.

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.

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

upwelling

Diverging surface waters are areas of ________ and ________ productivity.

upwelling; high

Surface ocean currents are driven primarily by ________ and modified by ________.

wind; the Coriolis effect and land