El Nino & Technology

During an El Niño year, rainfall in (Eastern) Australia would likely be: w. Greaterthannormal x. Less than normal y. About the same as in a non El Niño year z. It is impossible to determine because there is no known relationship between El Niño conditions and rainfall

x. Less than normal

Reminder question: The first satellite dedicated for ocean studies was; w. Oceansat x. Seasat y. Aquarius z. Aquabot

x. Seasat

What is upwelling? w. A surge in fish populations like Peruvian Anchovy x. The rising of a cold, nutrient rich current from deep in the ocean y. A temperature cell in the atmosphere that rises rapidly z. A hurricane that forms rapidly

x. The rising of a cold, nutrient rich current from deep in the ocean

Typically there are trade winds that blow along the equator in the Pacific Ocean from East to West. In an El Niño year the trade winds: w. Increase in strength x. Weaken y. Do not change z. Reverse direction

x. Weaken

Reminder question: DART buoys are used to w. Take pictures of deep sea life x. Collect sea surface temperature data y. Detect tsunamis z. Measure pH

y. Detect tsunamis

The first satellite dedicated for ocean studies was: w. Oceansat x. Mersat y. Seasat z. Aquasat

y. Seasat

Which of the following properties do scientists use to determine if El Niño is present and its strength? w. Carbon isotopes in deep sea sediments x. pH levels of Arctic waters y. Southern Oscillation Index z. Sea ice coverage in Greenland

y. Southern Oscillation Index

Reminder question: The difference in the height of the water surface between high and low tides is: w. Neaptide x. Spring tide y. Tidal range z. Tidal current

y. Tidal range

GIS software is used for the following: w. Mapping of point data x. Mapping of line data y. Mapping of spatial data layers z. All of the above

z. All of the above

The following piece of technology measures currents several feet under the surface of the water while attached to small floating devices: w. Sonde x. CTD y. Niskin bottle z. Drifter

z. Drifter

Which of the following is not true of a geostationary satellite? w. Its orbit is the same speed as that of Earth x. It monitors the same spot on earth y. It monitors ocean temperature z. It rotates around the Earth

z. It rotates around the Earth

Which of the following describes two types of sonar: w. High beam and low beam x. Rapid and slow beam y. Forward and back scan z. Multibeam and side-scan

z. Multibeam and side-scan

Reminder question: Traditionally, salinity has been expressed as...? w. Grams per cubic centimeter x. Parts per million y. Grams z. Parts per thousand

z. Parts per thousand

What percent of the ocean still hasn't been explored?

>95%

What does a positive SOI correspond to?

A positive SOI typically corresponds to La Niña.

The full instrument (CTD and niskin bottles) is called what?

A rosette.

What is a sonde?

A sonde looks similar to a CTD but is more complex and can also be used to measure pH, DO, temperature and turbidity.

Explain what SST anomaly means. Indicate what it means when the anomaly is positive and when the anomaly is negative.

An SST anomaly means that temperatures are either higher or lower than average ("normal"). If the SSTs are positive, the temperatures are warmer than normal. If they are negative, it means that temperatures are lower than normal.

Name one likely effect of an El Niño year on: 1) marine life and 2) humans.

Answers vary but include: Marine life: Fish populations near South America may decline because of reduced upwelling. Humans: Loss of economic productivity due to commercial fish decline, more intense precipitation/storms in some areas of the world.

What is an unmanned, untethered, self-guiding submersible?

Autonomous Underwater Vehicle or AUV

What does AUV stand for?

Autonomous Underwater Vehicles

What does CORS stand for?

Continually Operating GPS Research Stations

NOAA uses an advanced system of GPS receivers known as what?

Continually Operating GPS Research Stations (CORS)

These buoys help track Tsunamis.

DART buoy

What does DART stand for?

Deep ocean Assessment and Reporting of Tsunamis

What happens during an El Nino event?

During an El Niño event, warm water builds up in the equatorial Pacific, leading to severe weather events and impacts on marine life.

What does ENSO stand for?

El Niño /Southern Oscillation

What is El Niño?

El Niño is characterized by warmer than normal sea-surface temperatures (SSTs) in the tropical Pacific Ocean that impact global weather patterns. This deviation from normal SSTs can have large scale impacts, not only on ocean processes, but also on the atmosphere.

What is a computer system that allows users to create specialized maps?

GIS or GIS layers

What does GIS stand for?

Geographical Information System

What does GOES stand for?

Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites

What does GPS stand for?

Global Positioning System

What replaced Loran-C?

Global Positioning System (GPS)

What does HROV stand for?

Hybrid Remotely Operated Vehicles

What does a negative SOI correspond to?

In general a negative SOI corresponds to El Niño.

Interactions between what two things affect climate and weather patterns?

Interactions between the atmosphere and the ocean affect climate and weather patterns.

This satellite, launched in 2008, follows a low orbit and takes measurements that help scientists measure sea level rise...

Jason-2

What is the Loran-C?

LOng Range Navigation.

What is La Niña?

La Niña causes mostly the opposite effects of El Niño, for example, El Niño would cause a wet period in the Midwestern U.S., while La Niña would typically cause a dry period in this area.

La Niña is thought to occur due to increases in what?

La Niña is thought to occur due to increases in the strength of the normal patterns of trade wind circulation (unlike El Niño which occurs with reductions in the strength of these trade winds.)

This technology has been largely replaced by GPS:

Loran-C

What do Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES) do?

Match Earth's rotational speed so that they appear to hover over a single, fixed spot on Earth and are key for predicting and monitoring storms (e.g., hurricanes).

During El Niño, upwelling in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of South America: w. Increases x. Decreases y. Shows no change z. It is impossible to determine because there is no known relationship between El Niño conditions and upwelling

x. Decreases

What does orbiting mean?

Moving around the Earth, like a satellite.

What piece of technology would you use to collect a water sample from 200m deep?

Niskin bottle

What does ocean surface topography refer to?

Ocean surface topography refers to the overall shape of the sea surface.

What do Polar-Orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite (POES) do?

Orbit from pole to pole about 14.1 times per day and are key for providing weather forecasts.

What does POES stand for?

Polar Orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite or Polar Operation Environmental Satellite acceptable

What is Side-scan Sonar?

Primary tool for obtaining details of seafloor surface. Often used to find shipwrecks and detect objects on seafloor. Provides high resolution data but over smaller area .

What is Multibeam Sonar?

Primary tool for seafloor mapping. Used to generate bathymetric maps (show depths, features of seafloor). Provides coverage over larger area but less resolution than side-scan.

What is an unmanned, tethered submersible?

Remotely Operated Vehicle or ROV

What does ROV stand for?

Remotely Operated Vehicles

This is for manned exploration of underwater environments for extended periods without being in an enclosed vehicle.

SCUBA

What does SONAR stand for?

SOund Navigating And Ranging

What can satellites be used for?

Satellites capture visible imagery and can be used to measure sea surface temperature, sea surface height, presence of chlorophyll and wind patterns.

How do you think scientists can predict El Niño events?

Scientists monitor sea surface temperature (SST) for anomalies that indicate warmer SSTs near Peru.

What does SST stand for?

Sea Surface Temperature

What does SCUBA stand for?

Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus

What are drifters?

Simple device suspended a few feet below the water surface, attached to 4 small floats. Measures current data, which is sent to a polar satellite and then relayed to a monitoring station. They can be used to study wind, temperature, pressure, ocean color, salinity, and plankton.

What does the acronym SONAR stand for?

Sound Navigation and Ranging

Reminder question: Tidal range is typically the highest during which types of tide?

Spring tides

What does SOI stand for?

The Southern Oscillation Index

How is the The Southern Oscillation Index calculated?

The Southern Oscillation Index (SOI) is calculated based on sea level pressure differences between Tahiti and Darwin. In general a negative SOI corresponds to El Niño and occurs when air pressure values are below normal in Tahiti and above normal in Darwin. A positive SOI typically corresponds to La Niña.

What is The Southern Oscillation?

The Southern Oscillation is the see-saw pattern of reversing surface air pressure between the eastern (near Tahiti) and western (near Darwin, Australia) tropical Pacific; when the surface pressure is high in the eastern tropical Pacific it is low in the western tropical Pacific, and vice-versa.

What causes El Nino?

The exact causes of El Niño are not completely understood. They are related to the weakening of the trade winds, which blow from Peru toward Indonesia.

During an El Niño year, what is most likely to happen to the Peruvian Anchovy population?

The population will decline

A CTD measures which of the following: w. Connectivity,Temperature,Depth x. Conductivity, Temperature, Depth y. Conductivity, Temperature, Density z. Currents, Temperature, Depth

x. Conductivity, Temperature, Depth

What does Loran-C do?

Uses radio signals from two or more transmitters to provide latitude and longitude information to within half a mile accuracy.

What happens when the trade winds, which blow from Peru toward Indonesia, weaken?

When these winds weaken, upwelling of cold-nutrient rich water decreases and warm water that has piled up along the coast of Indonesia moves back toward Peru.

Upwelling along the coast of Peru (in South America) sustains fish populations there. If upwelling is occurring, would you expect to see cold or warm water off the coast of Peru?

You would expect to see cold water because the trade winds push the water that has been warmed by the sun toward Australia. This water is then replaced by cooler, nutrient rich water upwelling from the deeper ocean.

How is a sonde different from CTD? w. A sonde is more complex and can measure properties a CTD cannot x. A sonde orbits Earth while a CTD is placed in the water y. A sonde is stationed on-shore while a CTD is off-shore z. A sonde measures physical properties of seawater while a CTD measures chemical properties

w. A sonde is more complex and can measure properties a CTD cannot

What is the difference between an AUV and an ROV? w. An ROV is tethered while an AUV is untethered x. An AUV is a satellite while an ROV is a submersible y. An ROV is manned on-board while an AUV is driven by a computer z. An AUV collects physical data while an ROV is used to track marine life

w. An ROV is tethered while an AUV is untethered

In an El Niño year, which set of the following conditions would you expect: w. A cooling of Pacific Ocean SSTs near South America and a warming of SSTs to the northeast of Australia x. A warming of Pacific Ocean SSTs near South America and a cooling of SSTs to the northeast of Australia y. A warming of the oceans near the northeast of Australia only z. A cooling of Pacific Ocean water near South America only

x. A warming of Pacific Ocean SSTs near South America and a cooling of SSTs to the northeast of Australia