Oceanography Chapter 7
West wind drift
cold current, polar latitudes, southern hemisphere
California Current
cold, current, northern hemisphere, temperate latitudes
cool ocean currents
generally flow from high latitudes towards the equator
el nino southern oscillation
the relationship between sea surface temperature and changing atmospheric pressure.
are warmer than the surrounding water
warm ocean currents
western bound
what cardinal direction is the Brazil current
true
A Doppler flow meter is a scientific instrument used to measure current flow rates. T or F
North Atlantic Deep Water
A deep and powerful southward subsurface current that flows under the Gulf Stream in the North Atlantic is the __________.
gyre
A large system of rotating ocean currents, usually driven by the major wind belts, is called a(n) __________.
F
An eastern boundary current is generally narrow and swift. T or F
Density differences; differences in salinity and temperature
Deep ocean currents are driven primarily by ________ and modified by ________.
T
Deep ocean water can be enriched in oxygen when it is mixed with surface water.
T
Deep ocean water masses have characteristic temperatures and salinities. T or F
greater dissolution of oxygen in colder water than warmer water.
Deep-water circulation brings dense, cold, oxygen-rich water from the surface to the deep ocean because of:
converging surface currents
Downwelling can result from __________.
tropical cyclone in Hawaii or tahiti
During a strong El Niño event, the news media might be expected to cover __________.
east to west; west to east
Equatorial currents that are part of the subtropical gyres flow ___. Equatorial counter currents between the gyres flow ___ .
D
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. A. thermohaline circulation B. density-driven circulation C. Antarctic Bottom Water D. Kuroshio Current E. North Atlantic Deep Water
Meanders
Fluctuations in the flow of the Gulf Stream current result in curving loops of water known as __________.
gravity and the coriolis effect
Geostrophic circulation within a gyre driven by:
LC, HC
Identify the mismatched pair from the choices below. - Agulhas Current, West Australia Current - Canary Current, Gulf Stream -Labrador Current, Humboldt Current - Kuroshio Current, California Current -Brazil Current, Benguela Current
Gulf stream
One of the world's most powerful currents, located off the east coast of the United States, is the __________.
False
Surface currents affect about 90% of the world's ocean water. T or F
temperature; salinity
Thermohaline circulation in the ocean is driven primarily by differences in __________ and __________ among water masses.
density differences
Thermohaline circulation is driven by:
F
Thermohaline circulation is wind-driven. T or f
80
To produce a surface current of 1.6 knots in the open ocean, a steady wind of _____ knots would be required
A
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.
Gulf stream
Northern hemisphere, temperate latitudes, warm current
under el nino
Under which conditions are droughts and wildfires common in Australia?
western boundary currents
Warm core rings and cold core rings are associated with __________.
Eddies
Ocean frontal systems that spin off from currents such as the Gulf Stream, akin to atmospheric storms, are known as __________.
are driven by winds, are influenced by coriolis effect, Form large rotating gyres in the major ocean basins
Surface ocean currents ___. CHOOSE ALL THAT APPLY. -transfer large amounts of heat from the high latitudes toward the equator -are driven by winds -are influenced by Coriolis effect -form large rotating gyres in the major ocean basins
upwelling
Surface waters are pushed away from land and replaced by nutrient-rich bottom water through:
F
The Gulf Stream moves water away from the equator; the Benguela Current moves some of this same water back toward the equator. T or F
North Atlantic
The Gulf Stream transports warm water into the __________.
Antarctic Intermediate Water, North Atlantic Deep Water, Antarctic Bottom Water
The arrangement of water masses in the southern Atlantic Ocean from the surface to the bottom is:
T
The five subtropical gyres exhibit geostrophic flow, related to pressure gradients, friction, and the Coriolis effect. T or F
denser
The loss of heat from the ocean surface, resulting in a lowered temperature, causes ocean water to become __________.
T
The main current in Antarctic waters is the Antarctic Circumpolar Current, also called the West Wind Drift. T or F
cold core ring
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:
cold-core eddy or ring
When a meander from the Gulf Stream pinches off into the warm water south of the current, the eddy is called a __________.
Eastward
Which direction do ocean currents in the South Pacific move under El Niño conditions?
Gulf Stream
Which of the following is not an eastern boundary current? - W. Australian Current - Peru Current -California Current -Gulf Stream -Canary Current
geostrophic circulation
Which type of current flow moves in a circular path around a subtropical convergence, reflecting Ekman transport, gravity, and the Coriolis effect?
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
subtropical gyres
play a large role in climate
deep ocean currents
result from changes in water density (due to temperature and salt content)
