Chapter 7 OCE1001 Exam 2 FSU

Surface ocean circulation is driven primarily by _______ and modified by ________. (a) density differences; the Coriolis effect and land (b) density differences; differences in salinity and temperature (c) latitude; differences in salinity and land (d) wind; the Coriolis effect and land (e) wind; gravity and density

(D.) Wind; the Coriolis effect and land

Equatorial currents are driven by the __________. (a) Coriolis force (b) density (c) Ekman transport (d) trade winds (e) westerlies

(d) trade winds

Of the following conditions, which is/are related to strong El Niño events? Choose all that apply. A)Higher sea levels in the eastern Pacific Ocean associated with warmer water B)Increase in the strength and consistency of the trade winds C)Increase in productivity along coastal South America D)Increase in sea surface temperatures and destruction of coral reefs in the eastern Pacific Ocean E)Increased abundance of hurricanes in the eastern Pacific Ocean

A)Higher sea levels in the eastern Pacific Ocean associated with warmer water D)Increase in sea surface temperatures and destruction of coral reefs in the eastern Pacific Ocean E)Increased abundance of hurricanes in the eastern Pacific Ocean

Which factor(s) below drive(s) and shape(s) the pattern of surface ocean currents? A.shape of the ocean basins B.density C.salinity D.Coriolis effect E.wind

A.shape of the ocean basins D.Coriolis effect E.wind

Converging surface waters are areas of ________ and ________ productivity. A) downwelling; high B) downwelling; low C) upwelling; high D) upwelling; low

B) downwelling; low

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? A.Western intensification B.Ekman transport C.Eastern intensification D.Geostrophic current E.Equatorial upwelling

B.Ekman transport

Deep-water currents move ________ volumes of water and are much ________ than surface currents. A.smaller; faster B.larger; slower C.smaller; slower D.larger; faster

B.Larger; slower

Which of the following two factors cause geostrophic circulation within a gyre? A.density and the wind. B.gravity and the Coriolis effect. C.salinity and gravity. D.temperature and pressure. E.the wind and pressure.

B.gravity and the Coriolis effect.

Of the following surface currents, which one(s) transport large volumes of warm water to higher latitudes? Choose all that apply. A.North Pacific Current B.Canary Current C.Brazil Current D.Kuroshio Current E.Peru Current F.the Gulf Stream

Brazil Current Kuroshio Current the Gulf Stream

Which of the following is the only current that completely circumscribes Earth? A)South Australian B)Benguela C)Antarctic Circumpolar D)Malvinas E)South Equatorial

C)Antarctic Circumpolar

On a west coast in the Northern Hemisphere, what happens to surface waters when winds blow from the north? A)Downwelling occurs. B)Surface waters move onshore. C)Upwelling occurs. D)Surface waters move offshore. E)Surface waters move southward, causing a strong coastal current.

C)Upwelling occurs. D)Surface waters move offshore.

Which of the following currents is responsible for Peru becoming the largest producer of fish, from the sea, in the world? A.Brazil Current B.Canary Current C.Humboldt Current D.Somali Current E.Falkland Current

C.Humboldt Current

Which of the following statements is/are true regarding surface ocean currents? Choose all that apply: A.Equatorial currents are warm and equatorial countercurrents are cold. B.Surface currents curve to the right due to the Coriolis effect. C.Eastern boundary currents are those off the east coast of each continent. D.Cold currents flow at high latitudes or from higher latitudes toward the equator. E.Gyres in the Southern Hemisphere rotate counterclockwise.

D. Cold currents flow at high latitudes or from higher latitudes toward the equator. E. Gyres in the Southern Hemisphere rotate counterclockwise.

Surface waters are pushed away from land and replaced by nutrient-rich bottom water through: A. land breezes. B. sea breezes. C. downwelling. D. upwelling.

D. upwelling.

The largest of the great ocean surface currents is the __________. A.Equatorial Countercurrent B.Kuroshio Current C.Gulf Stream D.West Wind Drift E.California Curren

D.West Wind Drift

Which of the following currents goes all the way around the world without being interrupted by land? A.North Equatorial Current B.Labrador Current C.East Wind Drift D.West Wind Drift F.Equatorial Countercurrent

D.West Wind Drift

An increase in seawater density can be caused by a ________ in temperature or a/an ________ in salinity. A.increase; decrease B.increase; increase C.decrease; decrease D.decrease; increase

D.decrease; increase

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

Doppler flow meters

Which of the following methods are used to measure ocean surface currents directly? A)Doppler flow meters B)Anchored buoys C)Accidental spills from container ships D)Radar altimeters E)Pressure gradients

E)Pressure gradients

The observation of a hill of water within all subtropical gyres is an example of which of the following? A)Eastern intensification B)Equatorial upwelling C)Geostrophic current D)Western intensification E)Subtropical convergence

E)Subtropical convergence

Which of the following is true of surface water circulation near Antarctica? A)The surface ocean has no strong currents. B)There is no connection with the southern hemisphere subtropical gyres. C)It is dominated by water flow directly away from the polar region toward the north. D)The circulation of water around the Antarctic continent is driven by density differences. E)Two circumpolar currents dominate it, one current that moves water to the east and one current that moves water to the west.

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

About what percent of the wind's energy is transferred to the ocean surface? A)Five B)Ten C)Twenty D)Fifty E)Two

E)two

The observation that one subtropical boundary current is faster, narrower, and deeper than its counterparts is an example of which of the following? A.Geostrophic current B.Ekman transport C.Eastern intensification D.Equatorial upwelling E.Western intensification

E.Western intensification

Downwelling can result from __________ A.Ekman transport away from a coast B.strong offshore winds C.an ocean current flowing over submerged banks or seamounts D.diverging surface currents E.converging surface currents

E.converging surface currents

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

Eastward

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

Gulf Stream

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

Meanders

The Gulf Stream transports warm water into the __________.

North Atlantic

Between summer and winter, which of the following currents reverses its flow direction? A.Brazil Current B.Florida Current C.Somali Current D.Falkland Current E.California Current

Somali Current

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

Southern Ocean

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 thermocline is _________________.

a steep temperature gradient in the ocean that seperates deeper colder water from warmer upper water

Compared to western boundary currents, eastern boundary currents are:

broad and slow

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

Deep ocean currents are driven primarily by ________ . A)bathymetry B)latitude C)wind D)Earth's rotation E)density differences

density differences

Ocean frontal systems that spin off from currents such as the Gulf Stream, akin to atmospheric storms, are known as __________.

eddies

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 Niña conditions?

lowering of the South Pacific ocean temperature from normal conditions

What is the Southern Oscillation?

under El Niño conditions

Diverging surface waters are areas of ________ and ________ ] productivity. A.downwelling; high B.upwelling; low C.downwelling; low D.upwelling; high

upwelling;high

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