Mother of all oceanography: Exam 2
Macroscale Winds
*Largest planetary-scale wind patterns -Can remain unchanged for weeks at a time -Smaller macroscale circulation: synoptic scale (wind systems are about 1000 km in diameter) Smaller macroscale: tropical storms and hurricanes; midlatitude cyclones and anticyclones
12) How can you calculate the speed of a shallow water wave?
*See equations*
Waves are generated from
- wind blowing across the surface of the ocean - movement of fluids with different densities
what 5 things are responsible for earth's variation in heat?
-angle of incidence -thickness of atmosphere -albedo -day/night -seasons
Cyclonic AntiCyclonic
1. Loosen, rising air, low pressure CCW 2. Tighten, sinking air, High pressure CW
What are the 3 reasons for seasons?
1. Tilt of Earth 2. Parallelism 3. Revolution
eastern boundary currents
5 at eastern edge of ocean basin; carry cold water equatorward; shallow and broad; not well-defined boundaries; no eddies form; coastal upwelling; derived from mid-latitudes
To produce a surface current of 1.6 knots in the opean ocean, a steady wind of ____ knots would be required
80 (1.6 is 2% of 80)
convection cell
A circular-moving loop of matter involved in convective movement.
sea ice
A form of ice originating from the freezing of the ocean water.
air mass
A large area of air that has a definite area of origin and distinctive characteristics.
(Q10) What is the defining characteristic of an estuary?
A partly enclosed body of water in which salinity is dictated by mixing of fresh and salt waters
subtropical high
A region of high atmospheric pressure located at about 30 degree latitude.
Longshore bar
A ridge of sand, gravel, or mud built on the seashore by waves and currents, generally parallel to the shore
storm surge
A rise above normal water level resulting from wind stress and reduced atmospheric pressure during storms. Consequences can be more severe if it occurs in association with high tide.
Saffir-Simpson scale
A scale of hurricane intensity that divides tropical cyclones into categories based on wind speed and damage.
CC 6.2.1.1. What is a convection cell?
A sphere that illustrates the motion that hot and cold air travel within space or a bedroom.
7) What is celerity?
A term traditionally used to identify wave speed to distinguish it from the group speed of waves
hurricane
A tropical cyclone in which wins reach speeds in excess of 120 kilometers per hour. Generally applied to such storms in the North Atlantic Ocean, eastern North Pacific Ocean, Caribbean Sea, and Gulf of Mexico. such storms in the western Pacific Ocean are called typhoons and those in the Indian Ocean are known as cyclones.
18) What is an episodic wave?
Abnormally high wave unrelated to storm conditions
pressure gradient
Air moves from high pressure to low pressure
Coriolis effect
An apparent force resulting from Earth's oration causes particles in motion to be deflected to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and to the left in the Southern Hemisphere.
storm
An atmospheric disturbance characterized by strong winds accompanied by precipitation and often by thunder and lightning.
What is the difference between an atoll and a guyot?
An atoll is at sea level and a guyot is below sea level
What is a scientific theory?
An explanation for a natural phenomenon that is supported by many observations
(Q7) Southern Ocean surface circulation is dominated by the ________, which is created by _________.
Antarctic Circumpolar Current; the Westerly winds
Give three different examples of disturbing forces that have been known to cause tsunamis.
Avalanche/underwater landslide, earthquake/fault movement, meteor, volcanic eruption
10) Why do Tsunamis have variable speed as they cross ocean basins?
Because they are shallow water waves and the depth affects their speed
Upwelling
Brings nutrients to surface -coastal -equatorial
How could climate change affect the drinking water supplies of people in Asia?
By melting the Himalayan glaciers
Natural causes of climate change
Changes in solar energy Variations in Earth's orbit Volcanic Eruptions Movement of tectonic plates
What invention made accurate open ocean navigation possible by determining longitude?
Chronometer
pancake ice
Circular pieces of newly formed sea ice from 0.3 to 3 meters in diameter that form in the early fall in polar regions.
Three- cell circulation mode: Polar Cell
Circulation at 60-90 within a polar cell produces polar easterlies; surface flows that move toward equator
Ferrel Cell
Circulations between 30-60 latitude (NS) -not good model for flow aloft because it predicts east-west 30-60 latitude thermal convective cell -westerlies are located here (30-60 NH)
North Atlantic Current
Cold
Tide-Generating Forces
Components of tidal vectors that are horizontal to earth's surface.
Wave Interference
Constructive, Destructive, Mixed
Why is continental crust higher than ocean crust?
Continental crust is less dense than ocean crust
Upwelling:
Cool water is brought to the surface. This water is rich in nutrients from microscopic algae.
Western Intensification
Current flowing on the western side of each ocean tends to be stronger, narrower, and deeper than on the eastern side (both transport about the same volume of water).
Geostrophic circulation within a gyre driven by: Geostrophic circulation within a gyre driven by: A) salinity and gravity. B) temperature and pressure. C) the wind and pressure. D) gravity and the Coriolis effect. E) density and the wind
D) gravity and the Coriolis effect
Kinds of Waves?
Deep Water Waves, Shallow-water waves and Transitional Waves
Tidals
Diurnal, Semidiurnal, and Mixed
Which of the following is not an eastern boundary current? Which of the following is not an eastern boundary current? A) W. Australian Current B) Canary Current C) California Current D) Peru Current E) Gulf Stream
E) Gulf Stream
Tides would be easy to predict if ___.
Earth were a uniform sphere covered with an ocean of uniform depth if earth were all land: there would be no tides if earth were smaller and more elliptical: tides would be even more difficult to predict
What causes tsunamis?
Earthquakes, Submarine landslides, Large meteor impacts, Volcanic eruptions
average movement of seawater under influence of wind
Ekman transport
How can oceanographers measure surface currents from space?
Ekman transport and current motion cause the water surface to bulge and the departure from normal sea level can be measured by satellite radar.
(Q7) How can oceanographers measure surface currents from space?
Ekman transport and current motion cause the water surface to bulge, and the departure from normal sea level over time can be measured by satellite radar.
High pressure in eastern Pacific weakens; weaker trade winds; warm pool migrates Eastward (decreases in Western Pacific); thermocline deeper in eastern Pacific; downwelling; lower biological productivity (i.e. corals are particularly sensitive to warmer water)
El Nino
(Q6) The atmospheric circulation cell that drives air circulation between 30-60°N and 30-60°S is called the ____________.
Ferrel cell
Polar Front
Flow of cold air clashes with warm air
Whirlpool
Flow so strong. restricted channel connecting 2 basins with different tidal cycles (Strait of Messina between Italy & Sicily)
Equatorial currents
Flow westward and form Northern and Southern boundary of subtropical gyres
Wave speed
For deep water,s the longer the wave length, the faster it travels
10) What controls the speed of a deep water wave?
Generating factors (mainly wind) and restoring factors
Spilling breaker
Gently sloped ocean bottom, gradually extracts energy from the wave over an extended distance and produces breakers with low overall energy (long life span)
(Q9) When is the ebb tide strongest
Halfway between high tide and low tide
Water in the ocean combines with carbon dioxide to form a weak acid called carbonic acid, but the ocean's pH is 8.1 on average, which is slightly basic. How is this so?
Has its own natural buffer system
When did the most recent very large tsunami occur in the Indian Ocean and approximately how many people were killed?
Indonesia (Dec. 2004) and 230,210 people
The basic idea of global warming is sunlight enters the atmosphere from space and is then transformed to what type of energy that is trapped by CO2 in the atmosphere?
Infrared rays
1) Describe how wind generates waves.
It blows across a water surface and the friction, between air and water stretches the surface, resulting in wrinkles that eventually grow into larger waves
How does the tsunami warning system in the Pacific ocean work?
It coordinates info from 25 pacific rim countries and is headquartered in Ewa Beach, Hawaii. It uses seismic waves to forecast destructive tsunami; DART
Describe the processes that oil goes through when it spills in the ocean.
It initially floats and forms a slick at the surface where it starts to break down. The lighter components evaporate leaving behind a substance that groups into tar balls and eventually sinks.
Why is quartz one of the most abundant constituents of lithogenous sediments?
It is extremely durable
Why is the East coast of the US considered a passive margin?
It is far from any plate boundary and experiences no major plate tectonic activity
CC 6.2.2. Is the Earth's atmosphere heated from above or below?
It is heated from below.
What would happen to the Mediterranean Sea if the Gibraltar Sill closed it off from the Atlantic Ocean?
It would dry out nearly completely
(Q8) Which of the following is NOT a cause for tsunamis?
Lunar tides
Tidal Bulges
Lunar. 2 high tides, 12 hours apart. High and Low Tides.
Why are spring tides highest when the Moon is near perigee?
Moon is closer to the Earth, so gravitational force is greater
What geologic feature would you expect to find at the down-slope end of steep walls of submarine canyons?
Multiple sorted layers of boulders, pebbles, and finer particles
In what zonal wind belts in what ocean regions are you most likely to find operating wave-power generating stations?
Northern Canada, Alaska, Scotland, southern Africa, Australia (places with higher latitudes)
Amplitude
One half the wave height or the distance from either the crest or the thought to the still water line.
The general scientific consensus is that if levels of human cause emission continue to increase, what will happen?
Overall the Earth will get warmer and global distribution of climate patterns will change. Climate change is caused by human conditions
equatorial
Pertaining to the equatorial region.
subtropical
Pertaining to the oceanic region poleward of the tropics (30 degrees latitude).
Plane of the ecliptic
Plane traced by Earth's orbit around the sun
Why are earthquakes mainly found at the edges of plates?
Plates rub together there
______ Cells of air circulation occurring between 60 degrees north and south and each pole.
Polar
Descending air at the poles creates high pressure regions called the _______ ______.
Polar Highs
SQ 6.1 Is the Coliosis effect stronger at the tropics, or at polar latitudes?
Polar Latitudes.
13) What is sorting or dispersion?
Process of faster waves moving through and ahead of slower waves
Coastal Tidal Currents
Reversing current and whirlpool
Wake wave
SHIPS!
The intensity of tropical cyclones is measured by meteorologists using the __________ scale
Saffir-Simpson
The strength of a hurricane is ranked from 1 to 5 on the
Saffir-Simpson Scale
CC 6.5.2. How do sea breezes and land breezes form?during the summer which is most common?
Sea breeze: When air warmed by the land rises and is replaced by the cool air from the ocean. Land breeze: At night, the land cools faster than the water and creates a high pressure region that causes the wind to blow from the land. Sea breeze during a hot summer day.
What is the difference between a sea and an ocean?
Seas are smaller, shallower, saltier, and surrounded by land
14) What is a wave train?
Series of similar waves from the same direction
Which of the following would you classify as a pollutant?
Sewage
CC 6.6.2. How is sheet ice, icebergs and chef ice formed?
Sheet: seawater freezes Icebergs: chunks of glaciers fall off Shelf: a thick floating platform of ice that forms where a glacier or ice sheet flows down to a coastline and onto the ocean surface
Beach divides into
Shore (exposed beach) Nearshore (unexposed beach)
15) Where are some good places for wave-generated power plants? Why?
Shores like that of Great Britain that are constantly hit by large amplitude waves because they would generate the most energy
Coastal Winds
Solar Heating Different heat capacities of land and water Sea Breeze - ocean to land Land Breeze - land to ocean
What is the greenhouse effect
Solar radiation not reflected back into space causing the Earth's surface temperature and lower atmosphere to warm by heat trapping gases
More upwelling may come in the ___ Ocean
Southern
What is the purpose of Hard Stabilization?
Structures built to protect a coast from erosion or to prevent the movement of sand along a beach (armoring of the shore)
What do Marginal seas result from?
Tectonic events that have isolated low-lying pieces of ocean crust between continents or are created behind volcanic island arcs.
Why are spring tides highest when the Moon is near perigee?
The Moon is closer to the Earth, so gravitational force is greater
(Q9) Why are spring tides highest when the Moon is near perigee?
The Moon is closer to the Earth, so gravitational force is greater.
Why are spring tides highest when the Moon is near perigee?
The Moon is closer to the Earth, so gravitational force is greater.
The lunar tidal bulge has a period of 12 hours and 25 minutes, but the solar tidal bulge period is 12 hours. Why the difference?
The Moon moves around Earth in its orbit
(Q9) The lunar tidal bulge has a period of 12 hours and 25 minutes, but the solar tidal bulge period is 12 hours. Why the difference?
The Moon moves around Earth in its orbit.
The fetch refers to what?
The amount of surface area the wind is blowing on
declination
The angular distance of the Sun or Moon above or below the plane of Earth's equator.
Surf Zone
The area of the continental margin where waves release their energy
What is not a main component of a beach compartment?
The biosphere's use of the beach as its environment
What would happen to a river delta if damming reduced the amount of sediment in the river?
The delta would erode and subside below sea level
Depth
The distance from the ocean bottom to the still water line
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
Crest
The highest point on the wave above the still water line
winter solstice
The instant the southward-moving Sun reaches the Tropic of Cancer before changing direction and moving north back toward the equator, approximately December 21.
(Q6) Sea breezes and land breezes occur at the coast. The sea breeze is caused by which of the following?
The land heats up and air rises during the day, allowing cool, dense air from the ocean to fill the void.
sea breeze
The landward flow of air from the sea caused by differential heating of Earth's surface.
Ferrel cell
The large atmospheric circulation cell that occurs between 30° and 60° latitude in each hemisphere.
polar cell
The large atmospheric circulation cell that occurs between 60 and 90 degrees latitude in each hemisphere.
Hadley cell
The large atmospheric circulation cell that occurs between the equator and 30° latitude in each hemisphere.
What would happen to longshore transport along the coast if rivers on the coast were dammed, trapping sand behind the dams?
The longshore transport would become less
What would happen to longshore transport along the coast if rivers on the coast were dammed, trapping sand behind the dams?
The longshore transport would become less.
troposphere
The lowermost portion of the atmosphere, which extends from Earth's surface to 12 kilometer. It is where all weather is produced.
Trough
The lowest point on the wave below the still water line
CC 6.3.3 Explain the effect the latitudes have on the Coriolis effect?
The middle lats have a stronger effect than closer to the poles.
The lunar tidal bulge has a period of 12 hours and 25 minutes, but the solar tidal bulge period is 12 hours. Why the difference?
The moon moves around the Earth in its orbit. (the extra time is the earth "catching" up to the moon) moon-moon ><
Northern or Southern Boundary Currents
The most northern or southern, warm, southeast or northeast depending on hemisphere.
autumnal equinox
The passage of the Sun across the equator as it moves from the Northern Hemisphere into the Southern hemisphere, approximately September 23. During this time, all places in the world experience equal lengths of night and day.
CC 6.2.1.2. What causes wind currents?
The rising and lowering pressures of winds.
Winter Solstice
The solstice that occurs on December 21 or 22 in the Northern Hemisphere and on June 21 or 22 in the Southern Hemisphere (tropic of Capricorn)
What causes most places on Earth to have seasons?
The spin axis is tilted 23.5 degrees to the plane of Earth's orbit, causing solar radiation to vary in angle as Earth revolves around the Sun
plane of the ecliptic
The surface connecting all points in Earth's orbit.
What is bioremediation?
The technique of using microbes to assist in cleaning toxic spills
Wave period
The time it takes for one complete wave to pass a particular point
Continental and ocean crust have different levels because oceanic crust is denser and "floats" lower on the asthenosphere than continental crust because of isostasy. Assuming no difference in structure, what would happen if the two types of crust were made of the same material?
There would still be a difference because continental crust is thicker
As the speed slows, the wavelength shortens and the height increases. What does this cause?
This causes an increase in the waves steepness(H/L)
Of the following statements about the doldrums, which is/are true?
This is also known as the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ).
What is the purpose of hard stabilization
To protect a coast from erosion
What is the purpose of hard stabilization?
To protect a coast from erosion
Global Wind Belts
Trade Winds Prevailing Westerlies Polar easterlies Boundaries between wind belts Doldrums or ITCZ Horse latitude Polar fronts
Three- cell circulation model: Doldrums
Trade winds meet at the equator in a region with weak pressure gradient
Deep ocean water can be enriched in oxygen when it is mixed with surface water.
True
What causes tsunamis?
Undersea earthquakes, landslides, volcanic eruptions
Ocean currents and Upwelling
Upwelling: the rising of cold water from deeper layers to replace warmer surface water; occurs where winds blow parallel to the coast toward the equator El nino: gradual warming of waters in eastern pacific in Dec or Jan La nina: cooler than normal sea surface temperatures along the coast of equator and peru *related to a seesaw pattern of atmospheric pressure between eastern and western pacific : SOUTHERN OSCILLATION
Earth's seasons
Vernal equinox Summer solstice Autumnal equinox Winter solstice
Upwelling
Vertical movement of cold, nutrient-rich water to surface
Downwelling
Vertical movement of surface water downward in water column
Gulf Stream
Warm
North Equatorial Current
Warm
Upwelling along a coast:
Water is moved away from shore by wind. Water rises up to take its place. This water is cool and rich in nutrients. Wind from the north.
Many of the unique properties of water, such as cohesion and its reputation as a universal solvent, come from its atomic structure. What causes these properties?
Water molecules are electrically polarized
Internal waves
Water to water interface, generate by turbidity cents, tidal movements, passing ships. IT is the movement of different densities of water.
The diameter of an orbiting parcel of water at the surface of the ocean, is equivalent to what wave feature?
Wave base (1/2 the wavelength)
(Q10) If you look at beach sand under a magnifying glass, what will you see?
Whatever sand-sized particles are available from local rivers and streams
Surface Currents
Wind Driven Primarily Horizontal motion
Describe how wind-generated waves develop.
Wind blows over ocean and transfers energy into water at constant speed
What affects wave energy
Wind speed the duration that the wind blows in one direction, and fetch, which is the distance that the minds blow in one direction.
17) What are the three main factors that determine wave height?
Wind speed, Wind duration, and fetch
(Q8) What are the primary factors that determine wave height?
Wind speed, fetch, and length of time wind blows in one direction
What are the primary factors that determine wave height?
Wind speed, length of time wind blows in one direction, and fetch
Why does upwelling occur along the west coast of South America under normal conditions?
Winds moving westward in the South Pacific drive ocean currents toward the west; deep water rises to replace water driven westward
Downwelling along a coast:
Winds push water towards shore. This excess water plunges downward. These areas are usually low in biological activity.
In winter, sand from some beaches disappears. Where does it go?
Winter wave action moves the sand offshore into bars, located just below the wave base
In winter, sand from some beaches disappears. Where does it go?
Winter wave action moves the sand offshore into bars, located just below the wave base.
In winter, sand from some beaches disappears. Where does it go?
Winter wave action moves the sand offshore into bars, located just below wave base.
(Q10) In winter, sand from some beaches disappears. Where does it go?
Winter wave action moves the sand offshore into longshore bars, located just below the wave base.
Gravitational force is largest
Zenith
A thermocline is
a steep temperature gradient in the ocean that seperates deeper colder 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
Ekman's model assumes that
a uniform column of water is set in motion by wind blowing across the surface
Tidal power can be harnessed by ____.
a. trapping water behind coastal barriers in bays and estuaries c. allowing tidal currents to pass through narrow channels to turn turbines
change mass
add or remove water from the oceans water removed from ocean and put on land in form of glacier. melting glaciers now put more water in ocean.
Characteristics of coastal waters
adjacent to land influenced by river runoff
An anticyclonic flow is caused by
air leaving the high-pressure region
Ocean waves
air-water interface; wind generated
Warm air rises
as it is less dense
Cool air sinks
as it is more dense than the warmer water
Winds blowing out of the north toward the south in the southern hemisphere will appear to
be deflected toward the east
the atmosphere is heated from __
below
what is the most common type of interference found in ocean waves
both
Coastline
boundary between shore and coast
What is eustatic sea level change and what are some examples?
changes in sea level that are experienced worldwide due to changes in seawater volume or ocean basin capacity The formation or destruction of large inland lakes cause small eustatic changes in sea level.
warm-core eddies rotate _____ and cold-core eddies rotate ____
clockwise; counterclockwise
Earth's polar regions (above 60° latitude) are classified as deserts because __________
cold, dry sinking air in the polar high regions produces little precipitation
rainfall along a ___ front is usually heavier and briefer than rainfall along a ___ front
cold, warm
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
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 ring
cold nearshore water that spins into spinning cone-shaped masses off to the south of the Gulf Stream; counterclockwise rotating;
cold-core rings
Describe 3 alternatives to hard stabilization?
construction restrictions, beach replenishment, and relocation.
La Nina
contrasting colder-than-normal events; east coast cools off and west ocean warms
a __ __ forms, composed of the rising & sinking air moving in a circular fashion
convection cell
composed of the rising and sinking air moving in a circular fashion
convection cell
Low-pressure regions in the northern hemisphere rotate
counterclockwise
Northern hemisphere winds move ___ around a low pressure region, while Southern hemisphere winds move ___ around a low pressure region
counterclockwise, clockwise
in the n. hemisphere, air moving from high to low pressre curves to the right & results in a __ flow of air around low-pressure cells called __ __
counterclockwise, cyclonic flow
STUDY SEASONS DIAGRAM!!!
counterclockwise, tilted to the left winter on the right summer on the left autumnal on the top vernal on the bottom i think...
Wave Length
crest to crest or trough to trough
in the indian ocean, tropical cyclones are called __
cyclones
when the wind swirls counter-clockwise in the northern hemisphere and air rises (clockwise in southern hemisphere)
cyclonic flow
wavelength controls the
depth of the wave base
there is no coriolis effect at the __
equator
Western boundary currents carry warm water from the
equator to higher latitudes
Trade winds
equator-ward flow from the center of the horse latitude, this flow is deflected by the coriolis force which forms trade winds -Trade winds from both hemispheres meet neat the equator which has a weak pressure gradient -northeast-southeast along equator
the __ region spans the equator, which gets an abundance of solar radiation
equatorial
the tropics don't get continuously warmer & the poles continuously colder, because of belts of circulation in the atmoshere result in heat transfer from __ to high latitude regions
equatorial
a narrow, easterly flow of water that occurs counter to and between the adjoining equatorial currents; because of Ekman transport and the changing Coriolis effect on either side of the equator, a surface divergence of water is created near the equator that creates a flow of water back toward the east
equatorial countercurrents
Coast
extends inland as far as ocean related features are found
(Q7) Western boundary currents are ______, ________, _______, and ________ than eastern boundary currents.
faster, deeper, narrower, warmer
western boundary currents
fastest and deepest; move warm water poleward; no coastal upwelling; depleted in nutrients; derived from trade-wind belts
what is the definition of a "disturbing force" in terms of ocean waves?
fault movement vertical displacement of ocean bottom
Sea Stacks
form when the tops of sea arches erode away completely.
How many major currents does each of the subtropical gyres have?
four
Subtropical gyres have
four main currents that flow into one another
spilling
gentle slope
__ __ absorb radiation reflected y the earth back to the atmosphere
green house gases
What are transitional waves?
have characteristics of shallow water waves and deep water waves
circulation in both the oceans & the atmosphere transfers the __
heat
Gyres
large circular loops of moving water
A gyre is a
large horizontal circular moving loop of water
rogue waves
large solitary waves
gulf stream
largest in n atlantic; flow is at least 55 sverdrup; have eddies
greatest amount of heat transfer is at _____
mid-latitudes
Confused Sea
mixed interference of several wave trains coming in different directions and/or with different wave lengths and heights
plunging
moderate slope, best for surfing
steeper
more energy over shorter distance
East coast Georgia/NJ/NY
non resistant rocks
Kuroshio Current
northern hemisphere, temperate latitudes, warm current
frequency (f)
number of wave crests passing a fixed position per unit time
__ absorb the co2 from the atmosphere
oceans
Tectonic
origin of estuary. faulted or folded downdropped area now flooded with ocean (San Fran Bay)
maximum Coriolis effect at ___, no Coriolis effect at ___
poles, equator
on a non-rotating earth, air travels from the high pressure at the ___ toward the low pressure at the ___ --> strong winds
poles, equator
labrador current
really cold
Light colors
reflect sunlight (Think sunburn from skiing or swimming)
Sewage Sludge
semisolid material after treatment.
most of the solar energy that reaches the earth's surface is __ wavelenghts, in & near the visible portion of the spectrum
short
Wave Dispersion
sorting of waves by their wavelengths
Halfway between crests and troughs is the
still water level or zero energy level
__ __ causes the majority of a hurricanes coastal destruction, responsible for 90% of the death's associated with hurricanes
storm surge
_ are the atmospheric disturbances characterized by strong winds, precipitation & often thunder & lightning
storms
in temperate and tropical lats, water masses:
surface water, central water, intermediate, deep, bottom
Divergent zones
surface waters are driven apart by wind. Areas of rising water or upwelling.
What is biomagnification?
the concentration of pesticides in higher levels of food chains
The thickness of sea ice is limited primarily by
the insulating nature of the ice itself
albedo
the ratio of reflected radiation from the surface to incident radiation upon it.
Why are DDT and PCBs classified as persistent organic pollutants?
their toxicity, long life, and propensity for being accumulated in food chains capable of causing cancer, birth defects, and other grave harm
Deep ocean current movement is also known as __________.
thermohaline flow
How are standing waves formed?
they are produced when waves are reflected at right angles to a barrier, sum of two waves with the same wavelength moving in opposite directions, resulting in movement
Cotidal Lines
tidal cells in world ocean.
The wind belt(s) with strong, reliable, generally easterly winds is (are) the
trade winds
How can tidal power be harnessed?
trapping water behind coastal barriers in bays and estuaries. allowing tidal currents to pass through narrow channels to turn turbines.
T/F: Warm air can hold more water vapor than cold air
true
seasonal changes & day/night cause __ solar heating of earth's surface
unequal
wave height
vertical distance btw crest & troph
Shallow-Water Waves
water depth is < L/20; wave orbits are squashed into ellipses Celerity proportional to depth of water (waves all move at the same time)
Wave speed of shallow-water waves is determined by?
water depth, deeper the water the faster the wave travels
__ __ contributes more to the green house effect than any other gase
water vapor
__ __ enters the atmosphere through evaporation & by other natural processes
water vapor
most abundant greenhouse gas that also influences air density
water vapor
swell
waves that have traveled out of their area of origin, longer waves outrun the shorter waves
_ is like a snapshot
weather
Erosional Shore
well-developed cliffs. exist where tectonic uplift of coast occurs U.S. Pacific coast Longshore currents @ headlands transport the eroded materials to embayments (wave cut cliffs and sea caves)
Hilltop in gyre is displaced to the ___ in both the Northern and Southern hemispheres
west
ESNO
when trade winds falter, warm equatorial water that would normally flow westward now flows eastward; upwelling; sea level rises and temp rises=more evaporation=intensified coastal storms and more rainfall
anticyclones
• Areas of High pressure • Hawaiian High • Great Basin High • Clockwise rotation in the northern hemisphere • Counter-clockwise in the southern hemisphere • Can be referred to as "blocking highs
cyclones
• Areas of low pressure • Hurricanes, Nor'easter, Typhoon, Cyclone, mid-latitude cyclone • These are storms in general • Counter-clockwise in the northern hemisphere • Clockwise in the southern hemisphere
Monsoons
• Monsoon refers to a seasonal reversal of winds. - The Asian monsoon, which affects India and its surrounding areas, China, Korea, and Japan. • The monsoon is driven by pressure differences. - The North American monsoon occurs in the southwestern U.S. and northwestern Mexico. • This monsoon is driven by the extreme temperatures,which generate a low-pressure center over Arizona and results in a circulation pattern that brings moist air from the Gulf of California and from the Gulf of Mexico, to a lesser degree
Mesoscale Winds
*influence smaller areas and often exhibit intense vertical flow -Thunderstorms, tornadoes, land-sea breezes -Can last from minutes to hours -Usually less than 100km across
Microscale Winds
*smallest scale of air motion -Circulation is small and chaotic -Can last from seconds to minutes -Can be simple gust, downdraft, and small vortices like dust devil
SOUTHERN OSCILLATION
- This is the seesaw pattern of atmospheric pressure between the eastern and western Pacific. - Winds are the link between pressure changes and the ocean warming and cooling associated with El Niño and La Niña.
Summary of the Coriolis effect
- caused by Earth's rotation and the resulting decrease in velocity with increasing latitude. - influences all moving objects, especially those that move over large distances - changes only the direction of a moving object, never its speed - Coriolis deflection is to the right tin the Northern Hemisphere and to the left in the Southern Hemisphere - is zero at the equator and increases with increasing latitude, reaching its maximum strength at the poles
Global Winds and Ocean currents
- wind is the primary driving force of surface ocean currents -ocean currents and atmospheric conditions are closely related -Coriolis force deflects surface currents poleward and form clockwise spirals in NH and counterclockwise in SH Gyres are formed (nearly circular ocean currents) which are found in each major ocean basin around subtropical high pressure systems Gulf stream: strengthened by westerly winds and moves morthward
Local winds: Country breezes
-Mesoscale winds -Caused by uneven heating of urban and country areas -Results in the flow from country to urban areas
Jet Streams
-Region of fast moving Air, embedded in westerly flow aloft, narrow ribbons of high speed winds, occur near the top of the tropopause : widths vary: < 100 km - 500 km, wind speeds > 100 km/per hours, approach 400 km per hour 2 TYPES:Polar, Subtropical Jet streams Polar Jet Stream: most prevalent, mid latitude jet stream, occurs along major front zone:polar front, moves fastest in winter ; supplies energy for rotational surface storms and directs these storms, affects temperature and humidity, Subtropical Jet streams: located at about 25 latitude N and S; semipermanent, west-to-east current, mainly winter phenomenon, slower than polar jet stream
Jet Streams and Earth's Heat Budget: How can winds with a west-to-east flow transfer heat from s-n?
-heat transfer is accomplished by rossby waves of the westerlies centered on the polar jet stream, may be a period of a week or more when the flow is west-east in this case mild temperature occur in s of the jet stream and coolers temps in north. then, flow aloft may begin to meander and produce large waves and n-s flow which causes cold air to go equatorward and warm air to flow poleward, this redistribution of energy results in weakened temperature gradient and flatter flow aloft.. **Wavy flow of westerlies (rossby waves) centered on polar jet plays important role in Earth's Heat budget**
Deep-water waves
-no interference with the sea floor -energy of wave does not reach bottom. (water depth>water base) -wave speed (celerity) proportional to wavelength (longer wavelength moves faster).
what factors significantly alter the idealized wind, pressure & atmospheric circulation patterns?
-tilt of earths rotational axis -lower heat capacity of continental rock -Coriolis effect -uneven distribution of land & ocean
Three-Cell Circulation Model: Hadley Cell
-tropics Zone between equator and 30 latitude -warm air rises near the equator and releases latent heat during formation of cumulus towards As the flow aloft moved poleward the air begins to subside...this is because of the coriolis force which causes convergence aloft *equator - 30 latitude thermally driven circulation system of equatorial and tropical latitudes = 2 convection cells
These currents travel from low to high latitudes which is related to
1 - Coriolis effect increases with latitude. 2 - Changing the strength and direction of the winds. Example: the westerlies 3 - The friction of the water as it moves across landmasses and other ocean currents.
What is a typical height of a tsunami wave in the open ocean?
1 meter or 100cm
10) DISCUSS WAVE REFRACTION ON IRREGULAR COASTLINES. (10)
1) An irregular coastline has many headlands and bays 2) When a wave enters shallow water in front of a headland, it slows down 3) The parts of the wave on either side of a headland are still in deep water and travel fast 4) The waves tend to refract towards headlands.. 5) ..because the wave energy is concentrated on parts of land that stick out into the ocean 6) Therefore, headlands tend to be areas of high wave energy and erosion 7) This means that headlands are rocky points because sand and small rocks are washed away 8) The part of a wave that enters the center of a bay is still in deep water and travels fast.. 9) ..so wave energy is dispersed in bays as waves spread throughout the entire bay 10) Therefore, bays tend to be areas of low wave energy and deposition 11) Beaches tend to form in bays because of the smaller waves
13) EXPLAIN WHY SEAWALLS TEND TO DESTROY BEACHES. (10)
1) Beaches are where waves slow down to stop before gravity pulls the water back into the ocean 2) Most people originally build structures away from the shoreline because they're concerned with big storm waves that could flood the nearshore area 3) However, as our islands erode and sink, the beaches eventually will move inland 4) When beaches start nearing structures, humans commonly put up seawalls to protect the structures from the waves 5) But by doing this, it starts to destroy the beach, which is why seawalls are illegal 6) If a wave strikes a relatively vertical structure along the shoreline, it can reflect back into the ocean 7) The waves hit the seawall, reflect, and go back fast into the ocean 8) Once the shoreline erodes to the point where the small waves hit a seawall, sand will no longer deposit there 9) Beaches form when waves slow down and drop the sand, but seawalls do not allow waves to slow down 10) When waves hit the seawall, it reflects back without having the time to deposit the sand and prevents the beach from forming
8) DISCUSS THE THREE TYPES OF SURF. (9)
1) Breaking waves are classified into three types of surf: spilling breakers, plunging breakers, and surging breakers 2) The type of surf that forms depends on the gradient of the seafloor 3) Spilling breakers form when the seafloor gradient is low 4) Plunging breakers form when the seafloor gradient is steep 5) Surging breakers form when the seafloor gradient is very steep 6) Spilling breakers form as the breaking waves release energy slowly and the crest of the wave slowly spills down the face of the wave 7) Plunging breakers form as the breaking waves release energy fast and the top of the wave outruns the bottom of the wave and plunges 8) Surging breakers form as the breaking waves release energy all at once and the wave breaks on the beach 9) Spilling breakers commonly form along Waikiki Beach because the seafloor is relatively flat 10) Plunging breakers commonly form along North Shore beaches because the seafloor is moderately steep 11) Surging breakers commonly form along Yokohama Beach because the seafloor is very steep
7) DISCUSS HOW THE CHARACTERISTICS OF WAVES CHANGE WHEN THEY ENTER SHALLOW WATER. (8)
1) Deep-water waves are described as energy propagating across the surface of the ocean with no significant transport of mass 2) Deep water waves are waves in water deeper than half its wavelength (L/2) 3) After a wave enters water that is shallower than L/2, it interacts with the seafloor and the characteristics of the wave change 4) The wavelength decreases, so the wave becomes shorter 5) The wave speed decreases, meaning the wave speed slows 6) The wave crest becomes more pointed 7) The wave troughs become wider 8) The wave height increases, so the wave becomes taller 9) Wave steepness is defined as wave height divided by wavelength, or H/L 10) As a wave approaches a coastline, its height increases and the length decreases, which causes the steepness to increase 11) Once the wave steepness is greater than 1/7, the wave breaks and water starts moving in the direction of propagation
2) DISCUSS THE FORMATION OF GEOSTROPHIC CURRENTS AND THE SUBTROPICAL GYRE CIRCULATION. (10)
1) Geostrophic currents result from the interaction of wind stress, the coriolis effect, and gravity 2) The Trade Winds and Westerlies pump water to 30 degrees North & 30 degrees South 3) This convergence of flow forms a hill of water at 30 degrees in the subtropical climatic region 4) This hill of water is around 1 to 2 meters high 5) Gravity pulls water downslope and the Coriolis effect deflects the water -> right in N and left in S hemisphere 6) Eventually, the current becomes balanced on a slope between the Coriolis effect deflecting the flow upward and gravity pulling the flow downward. 7) This current is called a geostrophic current 8) Geostrophic currents in the subtropical gyre flow in a circular pattern that goes clockwise in the N and counterclockwise in the S 9) The highest part of a subtropical gyre is toward the western side of an ocean 10) The western shift is a result of the rotation of Earth and the Coriolis effect
12) DISCUSS LONGSHORE CURRENT AND RIP CURRENTS. (6)
1) Longshore current is a current that flows parallel to shore in the surf zone 2) When waves break, water moves in the direction of wave propagation. 3) Usually, water cannot return to the ocean directly through the surf zone 4) Water then piles up along the shoreline and begins to flow parallel to shore 5) This flow intensifies as wave heights increase 6) The longshore current flows parallel to shore until it reaches a place where the water can flow back into the open ocean 7) This offshore current, which is called a rip current, forms in a confined area where large amounts of water is quickly moved in a narrow region
11) DISCUSS LONGSHORE DRIFT AND ITS INTERACTION WITH SHORELINE STRUCTURES. (10)
1) Longshore drift is the transport of sand along a beach face 2) Sand flows from one end of a beach to the other, resulting in one side of the beach being thinner at one end 3) Waves that approach a beach at an angle run up the beach face at an angle 4) The water moves sand up the beach face at an angle as well 5) After the wave stops, gravity pulls the water and the sand straight back into the ocean 6) This pattern of moving up at an angle and pulling back straight is repeated with each wave, creating a zigzag pattern along the beach 7) If a structure on the shoreline, such as a groin, blocks the transport of sand, the sand is deposited on one side of the structure 8) On the other side of the structure, sand starvation occurs and the beach erodes 9) The direction of the waves determine which side undergoes erosion or deposition 10) The sand builds up on the side of the structure that the waves come from
14) DISCUSS TSUNAMIS AND THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS. (10)
1) Most tsunamis are seismic sea waves that are generated by earthquake waves 2) However, most earthquakes do not cause tsunamis 3) To generate a tsunami, the seafloor must fault and move the seawater 4) The movement of water by the faulting seafloor is the disturbing force that causes the tsunami 5) The wavelength of tsunami waves can be as long as 100km 6) The wave period of a tsunami wave averages 12-15 minutes 7) The wave speeds can be as high as 500-700 km/hr 8) In the open ocean, the wave heights of most tsunami waves are 1m or less 9) Usually a tsunami bore forms where the top of the wave breaks free and forms a wall of water, separating two different levels of seawater 10) The highest elevation that the wave reaches as it washes inland is called tsunami runup 11) In Hawaii, large tsunamis strike about every 25 years 12) The last two large tsunamis hit Hawaii in 1946 and 1960; because we are overdue for a big tsunami, we should be prepared for one in the near future.
5) DISCUSS WAVE INTERFERENCE. (9)
1) Oceanographers use the concept of wave interference to explain the chaotic nature of the ocean surface 2) Deep water waves are energy propagating across the surface of the ocean 3) Non-breaking waves pass through & interfere with each other to determine the elevation of the ocean surface 4) The two types of wave interference are constructive and destructive interference. 5) Constructive interference can either be crest-to-crest or trough-to-trough 6) Crest-to-crest is when two waves come together and the elevation of the ocean surface is the sum of both wave heights above sea level 7) Trough-to-trough is when two wave troughs come together and the elevation of the ocean surface is the sum of both wave heights below sea level 8) Destructive interference is when a wave crest coincides with a wave trough and the crest and trough totally or partially cancel each other 9) The elevation of the individual point on the surface of the ocean is the sum of all of the waves that are passing that point 10) Because the elevation of the surface of the ocean is constantly changing as different waves pass through each other, the term mixed interference pattern is used. 11) Some rogue waves form by constructive interference when several wave crests coincide
1) DISCUSS THE FORMATION OF THE EKMAN SPIRAL AND EKMAN TRANSPORT. (10)
1) The Ekman spiral is used to explain how the wind can blow in one direction, yet the water flows perpendicular to the wind direction 2) Wind stress sets the water at the ocean's surface into motion 3) The transfer of energy is inefficient, so the surface layer of water moves at a fraction of the wind speed—approximately 2-4% of wind speed 4) As the surface layer of water moves slower than the wind, it deflects more because of the Coriolis Effect 5) The surface layer eventually deflects 45 degrees (right in N hemisphere and left in S hemisphere) 6) The surface layer of water sets the layers below into motion 7) These layers move slower and thus deflects more 8) This continues until it reaches a depth of no motion, which is around 100m deep 9) Ekman transport is the average flow direction from the Ekman Spiral—around 90 degrees to the right in the N hemisphere and 90 to the left in the S hemisphere 10) The wind must blow for several days for the Ekman Spiral to fully develop, so the Ekman Spiral & Transport are not usually fully developed
4) DISCUSS THE FACTORS THAT DETERMINE WAVE HEIGHTS. (7)
1) The primary factors that determine wave height are wind speed, fetch, and duration 2) Duration is how long the wind blows in a single direction 3) Fetch is the distance that the wind blows in a single direction 4) Wave height increases when wind speed, duration, and fetch increase. 5) This means that greater wind speed, longer duration, and longer fetch all make the wave height larger. 6) When maximum fetch and duration are reached, a sea becomes fully developed for a given wind speed 7) A fully developed sea is the theoretical maximum height attainable by ocean waves when there is wind of a specific strength, duration, and fetch
6) DISCUSS WAVE DISPERSION. (8)
1) The speed of a deep-water wave is a function of its wavelength, which means the longer the wavelength, the faster the wave speed. 2) Large waves are generated in a sea, which is a storm region 3) Gusting wind creates a mixture of waves with different wavelengths 4) Once the waves leave the fetch of the storm and become free waves, the cluster of waves go through wave dispersion 5) In wave dispersion, the faster and longer wavelength waves outrun the slower, shorter wavelength waves 6) This means that the waves sort themselves out based on speed 7) If a storm region is far enough away and the waves undergo complete dispersion, the largest waves should arrive first, then the size of the waves should decrease over time 8) Wave trains are a pack of swell traveling at the same speed 9) Wave forms form at the back of the wave train and travel twice as fast as the wave train 10) Wave forms move to the front of the wave train where the wave forms disappear
9) EXPLAIN WHY WAVES REFRACT. (6)
1) Wave refraction is the bending of waves which causes waves to change direction 2) This occurs when different parts of a wave travel at different speeds 3) since waves approach a beach at an angle 4) Waves refract when one part of a wave enters shallow water, touches the sea floor and slows 5) However, the rest of the wave is still travelling faster in deeper water 6) Waves tend to refract parallel to shore
Three Indicators of a Rip Current
1) turbid water and floating debris moving seaward. 2) areas of reduced wave height. 3) depressions in beach, perpendicular to shore.
Which two factors cause air to subside between 20 and 35 latitude?
1. As upper-level flow moves away from the stormy equatorial region, radiation cooling becomes the dominant process, as a result the air cools and becomes more dense and sinks 2. The Coriolis force becomes stronger with increasing distance from the equator, causing the poleward moving upper air to be deflected into a nearly west-to-east flow by the time it reaches 30 latitude. This restricts the poleward flow of air. *CF causes a general pileup of air (convergence) aloft. which results in general subsidence between these latitudes *
Of the following statements about subtropical gyres, which is/are true
1. Globally, there are five subtropical gyres. 2. The rotation of each subtropical gyre causes a "hill" of water to pile up within it. 3. The western boundary current of all subtropical gyres is intensified (it is fast, narrow, and deep). 4. There are four main surface currents in each subtropical gyre. 5. The centers of all subtropical gyres are associated with high atmospheric pressure.
Of the following conditions, which is/are related to strong El Niño events?
1. Increased abundance of hurricanes in the eastern Pacific Ocean 2. Higher sea levels in the eastern Pacific Ocean associated with warmer water 3. Increase in sea surface temperatures and destruction of coral reefs in the eastern Pacific Ocean
The West Wind Drift (Antarctic Circumpolar Current) is a part of which of the following subtropical gyres?
1. Indian Ocean Subtropical Gyre 2. South Atlantic Subtropical Gyre 3. South Pacific Subtropical Gyre
CC 6.5.4. What are the conditions needed for the formation of a tropical cyclone? Why do most middle latitude areas only rarely experience a hurricane? Why are there no hurricanes at the equator?
1. Warm climate, faster evaporation, low pressure. 2. Water temperature 3. Speed of the winds and the Coriolis Effect is nonexistent at the equator.
Of the following locations, where would upwelling be expected to occur?
1. Where there is a shallowly submerged sea floor obstruction, such as a table mount 2. In areas of diverging surface currents, such as along the equator 3. Where there is a sharp bend in a coastline 4. In areas of offshore winds
Western intensification causes:
1. equatorial countercurrents. 2. a steeper slope of surface water in the western section of the gyre as compare to the eastern section of the gyre. 3. very swift western boundary currents. 4. the center of the gyre to be shift to the west. 5.All of the above statements are the result of westward intensification.
Of the following surface currents, which one(s) flow generally from west to east?
1.Equatorial Counter Current 2. West Wind Drift 3. North Pacific Current
main contributors of global rise in sea level are(4)
1.melting of antartica & greenland ice sheets 2. thermal expansion of ocean surface waters 3. melting of land glaciers & small ice caps 4. thermal expansion of deep ocean waters
What is the wave base equal to?
1/2 the wavelength measured from still water level. Only wavelength controls the base
Wave depth is less than _____ of the wavelength
1/20th
if wave steepness exceeds____ then the wave will break
1/7
frequency
1/T(period) # of crests passing fixed point over time
what is a typical height of a tsunami wave in the open ocean?
10 cm to 1 meter
ENSO phases usually last ___ to ___ months
12, 18
the green house effect keeps the avergae temperature at about __
15 degrees celcius
(Q8) If you were a submarine commander and wanted to take the submarine deep enough that it would NOT feel the effect of 300-foot wavelength storm waves, how deep would you have to dive?
150 feet
Tides are due to what effects?
2 effects: gravitational attraction and centripetal force.
If a point on the coast experiences a semi-diurnal tide, what does the daily tide record show?
2 high tides & 2 low tides/lunar day. Heights of successive high tides and successive low tides are approximately the same. Common along the Atlantic. Tidal period=12 hrs. 25 minutes.
6 great current circuits
2 in N hem and 4 in S hem
Mixed
2 swells with different wavelengths and different wave heights
El Nino conditions occur on average about every ___ to ___ years
2, 10
wind belts transfer about ___ of the total amount of heat from the tropics to the poles; ocean surface currents transfer ___
2/3, 1/3
about __% is absorbed by the atmosphere & clouds
23
the earth has a tilt of ___ degrees
23.5
earth tilts at an angle of __ in orbit
23.5 degrees
What are the seasons like at the poles?
24 hours of daylight or 0 hours on solstices 12 hours everywhere in the world on equinoxes
pre-industrial leve of carbon dioxide was about __ ppm
280
about __% is reflected into space by atmospheric backscatter, clouds, & earths surface
30
ocean gyres are centered at about ___ degrees North or South
30
the average albedo of earth's surface is about __%
30
Horse latitude
30 degrees
The centre of each gyre is at a latitude of
30 degrees North or South
The average albedo of Earth's surface is about
30%
Until the present time, the ice core records of Antarctica show that CO2 concentrations have never exceeded what level?
300 parts per million
argo system
3000+ floats move vertically in water column and return to surface once every 10 days, measuring temp and conductivity
Warm water only at the surface; most of ocean has an average temperature of ___ degrees Celcius
4
What is the average depth of the ocean in meters (to nearest thousand)?
4000 meters
Ekman Spiral - Because of the Coriolis effect, the immediate surface water moves in a direction ___ degrees to the ___ of the wind (in the Northern Hemisphere)
45, right
The actual movement of surface water due to Ekman transport in the Northern Hemisphere is about __________.
45° to the right of wind direction
after scattering by atmospheric molecules & reflection off clouds, about __% of the solar radiation that is directe towards earth is absorbed by the oceans & continents
47
Lunar Day
50 minutes longer than Solar Day. high tides are 12 hrs & 50 minutes apart. 24 hrs 50 minutes for observer to see Moon overhead moon also moving as Earth rotates
Why are gas hydrates important?
50 sites worldwide contain extensive gas hydrate deposits on the sea floor, could be a huge source in the future
if you were a submarine commander and wanted to go deep enough that your ship would not feel the effect of a 110 meter wavelength storm wave, how deep would you have to dive?
55 m
If you were a submarine commander and wanted to go deep enough that your ship would not feel the effect of a 110-meter wavelength storm wave, how deep would you have to dive? Why this depth?
55m (under the wave base, which is 1/2 the wavelength)
Polar Cell
60 degree to poles, (top convective cell) Polar cell circulation is driven be subsidence near the poles that produces a surface flow that moves equator=ward --> polar easterlies
Polar fronts
60 degrees latitude
The ice core records of Antarctica go back how many years?
650,000 years
what is the approximate speed of a tsunami in the open ocean?
700 km/h 435 mph
What is the approximate speed of a tsunami in the open ocean?
700km/h or 435mph
Ekman Transport
90 to right of wind in north 90 to left of wind in south
Ekman transport (average movement) is ___ degrees to the ___ of wind in Southern Hemisphere
90, left
Ekman transport (average movement) is ___ degrees to the ___ of wind in Northern Hemisphere
90, right
shallow water waves
<1/20 of the wavelength, touch the bottom of the seafloor
In the absence of friction where would the maximum ideal lunar tide occur?
@ 2 points. directly beneath and opposite the moon.
equatorial low
A band of low atmospheric pressure that encircles the globe along the equator.
How does an ocean basin form?
A continental plate is pulled apart and seafloor spreading creates ocean lithosphere in the gap left between the pieces
la nina
A cooling of the ocean surface off the western coast of South America, occurring periodically every 4 to 12 years and affecting Pacific and other weather patterns.
doldrums
A global belt of light, variable winds near the equator, resulting from the vertical flow of low-density air masses upward within this equatorial belt. Associated with much precipitation.
subpolar low
A global belt of low atmospheric pressure located at about 60 degrees north or south latitude that is associated with upward vertical flow of low-density air and abundant precipitation.
polar easterly wind belt
A global wind belt that moves away from the polar regions toward the polar from tat about 60 degrees north or south latitude in each hemisphere. These winds move from a northeasterly direction in the Northern Hemisphere and from a southeasterly direction in the Southern Hemisphere.
trade wind
A global wind belt that moves from a subtropical high-pressure belt at about 30 degrees north or south latitude toward the equatorial region. Theses winds move from a northeasterly direction in the Northern Hemisphere and from a southeasterly direction in the Southern Hemisphere.
prevailing westerly wind belt
A global wind belt that moves from a subtropical high-pressure belt at about 30 degrees north or south latitude tower d the polar front at about 60 degrees north or south latitude. These winds move from a southwesterly direction in the Northern Hemisphere and from a northwesterly direction in the Southern Hemisphere.
What causes pillow lava to form?
A lava tube emits molten lava into the ocean
Tropic of Cancer
A line of latitude located at 23°30' north of the equator. The Sun is directly overhead the Tropic of Cancer on the summer solstice in the Northern Hemisphere (June 20 or 21). It marks the northernmost point of the tropics, which falls between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn.
Tropic of Capricorn
A line of latitude located at 23°30' south. The Sun is directly overhead the Tropic of Capricorn on the summer solstice in the Southern Hemisphere (Dec. 20 or 21). It marks the southernmost point of the tropics.
Longshore trough
A long, wide, shallow depression of the sea floor parallel to the shore.
iceberg
A massive piece of glacier ice that has broken from the front of the glacier into a body of water. It floats with its tip at least 5 meters above the water's surface and at least four-fifths of its mass submerged.
What is the defining characteristic of an estuary?
A partly enclosed body of water in which salinity is dictated by mixing of fresh water runoff and ocean water
What is the defining characteristic of an estuary?
A partly enclosed body of water in which salinity is dictated by mixing of fresh water runoff and ocean water
ice floe
A piece of floating ice other than fast ice or icebergs. May range n maximum horizontal dimension from about 20 cm to more than 1 kilometer.
12) What is a standing wave? How can one form?
A wave that does not progress in a direction; only oscillates vertically. They form in ocean basins, partly enclosed bays and seas, and estuaries when a progressive wave is reflected back on itself canceling out its forward motion.
cold front
A weather front in which a cold air mass moves into and under a warm air mass. It creates a narrow band of intense precipitation.
warm front
A weather front in which a warm air mass moves into and over a cold air mass prodding a broad band of gentle precipitation.
The arrangement of water masses in the southern Atlantic Ocean from the surface to the bottom is: A) Antarctic Intermediate Water, North Atlantic Deep Water, Antarctic Bottom Water. B) North Atlantic Deep Water, Antarctic Bottom Water, Antarctic Intermediate Water. C) Antarctic Intermediate Water, Antarctic Bottom Water, North Atlantic Deep Water. D) Antarctic Bottom Water, Antarctic Intermediate Water, North Atlantic Deep Water. E) North Atlantic Deep Water, Antarctic Intermediate Water, Antarctic Bottom Water.
A) Antartic Intermediate Water, North Atlantic Deep Water, Antarctic Bottom Water
Which of the following is a western boundary current? Which of the following is a western boundary current? A) Brazil Current B) Canary Current C) Peru Current D) Benguela Current E) California Current
A) Brazil 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. A. Agulhas Current B. Benguela Current C. California Current D. Canary Current E. West Australian Current
A. Agulhuas 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. A. California Current B. Canary Current C. Gulf Stream D. North Atlantic Current E. North Equatorial Current
A. California Current
(Q7) Dense North Atlantic Deep Water (NADW) sinks near Greenland and heads south along the ocean bottom. Even more dense Antarctic Bottom Water (AABW) sinks near Antarctica and moves north along the ocean bottom. What happens when they meet?
AABW stays on the bottom, and NADW moves on top of it because of density stratification.
In the Atlantic, North Atlantic Deep Water (NADW) sinks near Greenland and heads south along the ocean bottom. Antarctic Bottom Water (ABW) sinks off Antarctica and moves north along the ocean bottom. What happens when they meet?
ABW stays on the bottom, NADW overrides it
Surging breaker
Abrupt STEEP slope. wave energy is compressed into a shorter distance and wave will surge forward. Build up and break right at shoreline (board surfers avoid)
Why are the deep ocean basins covered with red clay deposits?
Absence of coarser lithogenous and biogenic particles
(Q6) Why does the amount of solar radiation change with latitude?
All of the above: - More radiation is absorbed by the atmosphere at the poles than at the equator due to the angle of radiation entry. - The Earth's albedo is lower at the poles than at the equator due to ice, so more radiation is reflected at the poles than at the equator. - The radiation per area is lower at the poles than at the equator, due to the angle of radiation entry. - More light is reflected at the poles than at the equator because of the angle of incidence of the light.
cyclone
An atmospheric system characterized by the rapid, inward circulation of air masses about a low pressure center that is associated with rising air. They are circulate counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere and are usually accompanied by stormy, often destructive, weather.
jet stream
An easterly moving air mass at an elevation of about 10 kilometers. Moving at speeds that can exceed 300 kilometers per hour, the jet stream follows a wavy path in the middle latitudes and influences how far polar air masses may extend into the lower latitudes.
What is an envrironmental bioassay?
An environmental assesment technique that determines the concentration of a pollutant that causes 50% mortality among a specific group of test organisms.
You are exploring an ocean basin and trying to determine whether it formed by seafloor spreading. Which of the following evidence would you NOT expect to find in an actively spreading ocean?
Answer not true: Dredging would yield granite
Which of the following processes is NOT part of the hydrologic cycle?
Answer not true: Water is added to the oceans and atmosphere by volcanic activity
What is non-point-source pollution and what are some examples of this type of pollution?
Any type of pollution entering the ocean from multiple sources rather than from a single discrete source, point, or location. (trash washed down a storm drain to ocean; pesticides and fertilizers from agriculture; oil from cars)
What is non-point-source pollution and what are some examples of this type of pollution?
Any type of pollution entering the ocean from multiple sources. Ex: urban runoff, trash, pet waste, lawn fertilizer. AKA poison runoff.
Uneven heating of the earth by sun is due to
Area light covers How much atmosphere pass through Albedo Angle of sun relative to sea surface
a global array of free-drifting profiling floats that move vertically and measure the temperature, salinity, and other water characteristics in deep currents
Argo
Describe the difference between cyclonic and anti-cyclonic flow and show how the Coriolis effect is important in producing both clockwise and counterclockwise flow patterns
As air moves away from high-pressure regions and toward low-pressure regions, the Coriolis effect modifies its direction. In the Northern Hemisphere, air moving from high to low pressure curves to the right and results in a counterclockwise (cyclonic) flow of air around low-pressure cells. Similarly, as air leaves the high-pressure region and curves to the right, it establishes a clockwise (anti-cyclonic) flow of air around high-pressure cells
(Q7) The Ekman spiral affects the direction of near-surface water movement. If you lowered a current-measuring device over the side of a ship in the northern hemisphere, what would you observed in the upper 100 m?
As the instrument descended, the current direction would change progressive to the right of the wind until it even perhaps reached the opposite direction from the wind near 100 m depth.
Describe how wind-generated waves develop.
As the wind blows over the surface it creates pressure and stress. These factors deform the ocean surface into small rounded waves with v shaped troughs and wavelengths less than 1.74 cm
Hydrothermal vents are considered both a source and sink for ocean salts. How can one factor both add and take away salt?
As water interacts with hot rock, some materials are dissolved while others are deposited
(Q8) Where would it be most likely that you would find internal waves in the ocean?
At the pycnocline
Where would it be most likely that you would find internal waves in the ocean?
At the pycnocline
In the absence of friction (and other complicating factors) where would the maximum ideal lunar tide occur?
At two points, directly beneath and opposite the Moon. The Moon and Sun are lined up
In the absence of friction (and other complicating factors) where would the maximum ideal lunar tide occur?
At two points, directly beneath and opposite the Moon. The Moon and Sun are lined up.
In the absence of friction and other complicating factors) where would the maximum ideal lunar tide occur?
At two points, directly beneath and opposite the Moon. The moon and sun are lined up.
Ekman transport
Average movement of surface waters 90 degrees to the right in Northern Hemisphere 90 degrees to left in southern hemisphere
Of the following surface currents, which ones flow from south to north A) North Pacific Current B) Kuroshio Current C) Peru Current D) Canary Current E) the Gulf Stream F) Brazil Current
B) Kuroshio Current E) The Gulf Stream C) Peru Current
Surface ocean currents ___. A) transfer large amounts of heat from the high latitudes toward the equator B) form large rotating gyres in the major ocean basins C) are driven by winds D) are influenced by Coriolis effect
B) form large rotating gyres in the major ocean basinss C) are driven by winds D) are influenced by the Coriolis effect
Shore divides into
Backshore: high tide shoreline to coastline (towel) Foreshore: high tide shoreline to low tide shoreline
(Q10) What is the most common type of estuary on the USA East and Gulf Coasts?
Bar-built estuary
What causes ocean surface currents to form large gyres?
Barriers formed by the continents and wind blowing over the ocean
Highest Tidal Range?
Bay of Fundy, Canada. Natural period of oscillation=12 hours Exceptional tides there are a resonance phenomena.
alternative to hard stabilization?
Beach nourishment
what describes appearance of sea surface
Beaufort wind scale
(Q8) Why do tsunami waves always behave as shallow-water waves?
Because tsunami wavelengths are long enough that anywhere in the ocean the water depth is less than 1/20 of the wavelength.
What is wave refraction?
Bending of the wave crest as the waves reach the shore
What is wave refraction?
Bending of wave fronts as one part of wave reaches shallow water before another part. Typically straightens coastlines.
How does the latent heat of evaporation (and latent heat of condensation) moderate climate?
By absorbing energy on evaporation and releasing it on condensation, it keeps water cool when the air is hot, and warm when the air is cool
Of the following currents, which ones are parts of the South Atlantic Subtropical Gyre? A) South Equatorial Current B) West Wind Drift C) Brazil Current D) West Australian Current E) Benguela Current F) Agulhas Current
C) Brazil Current E) Benguela Current B) West Wind Drift A) South Equatorial Current
Which of the following statements is true of surface ocean currents? A) Surface currents occur within and below the pycnocline. B) Surface currents transport warm water toward the equator. C) Surface currents form circular patterns in the major ocean basins called "gyres." D) Surface currents concentrate warm water in the center of the gyre at mid latitudes. E) Surface currents transport cold water toward the poles.
C) surface currents form circular patterns in the major ocean basins called "gyres"
What is causing the hole in the ozone layer?
CFC's
Most biogenic sediments consist of tiny shells called microfossils that are made of what two substances?
CaCO3 (calcium carbonate) and SiO2 (silica)
What is the unit equivalent to raising the temp of 1 gram of water by 1 degree centigrade?
Calorie
Wind Generated Wave Development
Capillary Waves, Gravity Waves, Trochoidal Waves
(Q8) In what order to wind-generated waves develop and travel to shore?
Capillary waves, gravity waves, swell, breakers
Dark colors
Capture sunlight (Think black asphalt or the jeep)
Of all the human-caused gases, which gas makes the greatest relative contribution to increasing the greenhouse effect?
Carbon dioxide
You are on a research cruise and leave Japan, heading east. At about 1500 kilometers east of Japan you encounter a large volcanic plateau that is covered with sediments. You lower a piston core to sample the sediments and the wire indicator says 2500 meters of water depth. What kind of sediment will the core likely contain?
Carbonate ooze
9) How can you calculate the speed of a deep water wave?
Cdeep=1.56T (*see equations*)
During a severe El Nino, warmer than normal waters can be found off the west coasts of Central and North America. How does this lead to an increase in hurricane and precipitation in those areas?
Chances increase that water heats up enough to form hurricanes. Warmer the water, higher the rate of evaporation - Precipitation
What is eustatic sea level change and what are some examples?
Changes in global temperature Changes in seafloor spreading rate Formation of continental glaciers and ice caps Dessication of an ocean basin Glacial isostatic subsidence and rebound IS NOT
From smallest to largest, how should sediment textures be listed in the correct order?
Clay, silt, sand, pebbles
Why is it that a winter may be colder for one season if Earth is said to be experiencing global warming?
Climate can still be warming in the long term
SQ 6.5 In what direction does the Coriolis effect cause moving objects to deflect in the northern hemisphere?
Clockwise.
Galveston Bay (South TX) has two rivers that empty into it. It also has two barrier islands that separate it from the sea. What type of estuary do you think it it?
Coastal Plain
What is the most common type of estuary on the U.S. East and Gulf coasts?
Coastal Plain Estuary (drowned river valley)
What is the most common type of estuary on the U.S. East and Gulf coasts?
Coastal plain estuary (a.k.a. drowned river valley)
What are the major marine provinces?
Continental margins, deep-ocean basins, and mid-ocean ridges
3 alternatives to hard stabilization?
Contstruction Restrictions, Beach Replenishment, and Relocation
Where do most of the largest earthquakes occur?
Convergent plate boundaries
How does the Tsunami warning system in the Pacific ocean work
Coordinates info from 25 Pacific Rim countries and is headquartered in Ewa beach (Honolulu). uses seismic waves, some of which travel through Earth at speeds 15 times faster than tsunami, to forecast destructive tsunami. DART utilizes sea floor sensors that are capable of picking up the small yet distinctive pressure pulse from a tsunami passing above. Pressure sensors to buoy at surface that transmits data via satellite.
Why does the Earth have a nickel-iron core at its center, surrounded by silicate mantel?
Core material is more massive, has higher density
The apparent deflection of air masses to the right or left (depending on latitude) as they move from one latitude to another is called the
Coriolis effect
causes moving objects on Earth to follow curved paths from the observer's perspective
Coriolis effect
SQ 6.2 In what direction does the Coriolis effect cause moving objects to deflect in the southern hemisphere?
Counterclockwise.
Wave characteristics
Crests, still water levels, troughs
CC 6.5.1. Describe the difference between cyclonic and anticyclonic flow and how is the Coriolis effect related to them.
Cyclonic: air moving from high to low pressure curves to the right and result in a clockwise flow (tighten) Antiyclonic: same as a cyclonic but moves in a counterclockwise flow. (loosen)
Of the following gyres, which one(s) flow in a counterclockwise direction? A) South Pacific Subtropical Gyre B) Indian Ocean Subtropical Gyre C) North Atlantic Subtropical Gyre D) Northern Hemisphere Subpolar Gyres E) North Pacific Subtropical Gyre F) South Atlantic Subtropical Gyre
D) Northern Hemisphere Subpolar Gyres A) South Pacific Subtropical Gyre F) South Atlantic Subtropical Gyre B) Indian Ocean Subtropical Gyre
Which type of current flow moves in a circular path around a subtropical convergence, reflecting Ekman transport, gravity, and the Coriolis effect? Which type of current flow moves in a circular path around a subtropical convergence, reflecting Ekman transport, gravity, and the Coriolis effect? A) thermohaline circulation B) density-driven circulation C) Langmuir circulation D) geostrophic circulation E) counter-current circulation
D) geostrophic circulation
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
D. Kuroshio Current
when did the most recent very large tsunami occur in the Indian ocean and approximately how many people were killed?
December 26, 2004 and 230,210 people
Waves change in the surf zone by
Decrease in wavelength, increase in wave height, increase in wave steepness (H/L)
If an ocean wave has a wavelength of 500 m and it is found in a part of the ocean that is 4,500 meters deep, what type of wave is it?
Deep water (since the ratio of wavelength : ocean depth is less than 1/20th
What is the main cause of surface water sinking to cause the deep, thermohaline ocean currents?
Density increase caused by cold in polar regions, and density increase caused by greater salinity
(Q7) What is the main cause of surface water sinking to cause the deep thermohaline ocean currents?
Density increase caused by cold polar conditions and increased salinity from brine rejection.
Barrier Islands
Depositional Shore. East & Gulf coasts protect mainland from high wave activity migrate landward over time
Tsunamis are shallow water waves in all oceans. Why?
Depth of wave base is equal to roughly ½ the wavelength. Since most tsunamis wavelenghts are about 125 miles, the ocean depth would have to be greater than 62 miles. There is no part of any ocean basin that is deeper than 62 miles. Example: Mariana Trench is only 7 miles deep.
Describe the types of destruction caused by hurricanes. Which one causes the majority of fatalities and destruction?
Destruction from hurricanes is caused by high winds and flooding from intense rainfall. Storm surge, however, causes the majority of a hurricane's coastal destruction and loss of life. In fact, storm surge is responsible for 90% of the deaths associated with hurricanes
Global atmospheric circulation patterns - boundary names
Doldrums or intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) Horse latitudes Polar fronts
Deep Currents
Driven by differences in density caused by differences in temperature and salinity Vertical and horizontal motions
Density
Driven currents move water vertically.
Of the following statements about Ekman spiral and Ekman transport, which is/are true? A) Connecting the arrows of water movement from the surface into deeper waters shows the spiral pattern. B) Because of the Coriolis effect, surface waters move at an angle to the wind direction. C) The two factors that affect the Ekman spiral are the wind direction and the Coriolis effect. D) Ekman transport is the same thing as thermohaline flow. E) Ekman transport is to the right of the wind direction in the Northern Hemisphere. F) Within the Ekman spiral, deeper water can move in a direction exactly opposite of the wind direction.
E) Ekman transport is to the right of the wind direction in the Northern hemisphere the Northern Hemisphere. F) Within the Ekman spiral, deeper water can move in a direction exactly opposite of the wind direction. A) Connecting the arrows of water movement from the surface into deeper waters shows the spiral pattern. C) The two factors that affect the Ekman spiral are the wind direction and the Coriolis effect. B) Because of the Coriolis effect, surface waters move at an angle to the wind direction.
equinox
Either of two times of the year when the sun crosses the plane of the earth's equator and day and night are of equal length
Hadley Cells
Equator , transportation of Heat
(Q7) Which current is not a part of a subtropical gyre?
Equatorial Countercurrent
Low Pressure Zones
Equatorial Low Subpolar Lows Overcast skies with lots of precipitation
Idealized Zone pressure belts
Equatorial Low: near the equator, warm rising air associated with low pressure : trade winds converge here --> INTERTROPICAL CONVERGENCE ZONE subtropical highs: 20-35: high pressure zones - subtropical highs here subsiding air produces warm and dry weather subpolar low: 50-60 polar front: polar easterlies and westerlies clash in low pressure convergence zone - subpolar low; responsible for stormy middle latitude weather Polar highs: near earths poles, polar easterlies originate, exhibit high surface pressure due to surface cooling, because air near poles is cold and dense it has higher-than average pressure
Four main currents in subtropical gyres
Equatorial currents Western boundary currents Northern or Southern boundary currents Eastern boundary currents
A belt of low pressure lying near the equator and between the subtropical highs is called the __________ ____.
Equatorial low
What would happen to a river delta if damming reduced the amount of sediment in the river?
Erode and Subside. lower sea level.
Head Lands
Erosional Shore. Protruding bits of land absorbing much wave energy
Sea arches
Erosional Shore. form where sea caves in headlands erode all the way through
In the oceans, all of the following processes decrease local salinity except for one. Which process increases salinity?
Evaporation
Local Winds: Santa Ana Winds and Wildfires
Extremely dry offshore winds that affect coastal Southern Cali and northern Baja Cali in autumn and winter -Hot dry winds - fanning regional wildfires
Of the following statements about deep-ocean currents, which is/are true? A) Deep-ocean currents are initiated by downwelling of cold, dense water near Antarctica and in the North Atlantic Ocean. B) Deep-ocean currents are important regulators of global climate. C) Deep-ocean currents contain water that is high in oxygen. D) Deep-ocean currents often travel faster than ocean surface currents. E) The volume of water involved in the downward movement of deep-ocean currents is equal to the flow of 100 Amazon-sized rivers. F) Deep-ocean circulation is often referred to as thermohaline flow.
F) deep-ocean circulation is often referred to as thermohaline flow A) Deep-ocean currents are initiated by downwelling of cold, dense water near Antarctica and in the North Atlantic Ocean. C) Deep-ocean currents contain water that is high in oxygen. B) Deep-ocean currents are important regulators of global climate. E) The volume of water involved in the downward movement of deep-ocean currents is equal to the flow of 100 Amazon-sized rivers.
An eastern boundary current is generally narrow and shift
False
Deep ocean water does not travel across the equator.
False
Surface Currents affect about 90% of the world's ocean water
False
Surface ocean currents are vertical currents in the water column that are density-driven.
False
Surface or wind-driven currents move water primarily in a vertical direction in the ocean.
False
T/F: An iceberg is a variety of sea ice
False
The Gulf Stream moves water away from the equator; the Benguela Current moves some of this same water back toward the equator.
False
The West Wind Drift occurs at 60°N around the Arctic Circle.
False
The densest ocean water is North Atlantic Deep Water.
False
Thermohaline circulation is wind-driven
False
Longer Waves Propagate
Faster
What is the definition of a 'disturbing force' in terms of ocean waves?
Fault movement, vertical displacement of ocean bottom?
_______ _____ is the middle atmospheric ciruclation cell in each hemisphere air in these cells rises at 60 degrees latitude and falls at 30 degrees latitude. (30 to 60)
Ferrel Cell
The height and energy of a wind-generated wave depends upon what three factors?
Fetch, wind duration, wind speed
On the whole, what is the most important mechanism of transporting continental-margin lithogenous sediments?
Flowing water
What causes the basal waters in some estuaries to become anoxic?
Formation of a strong pycnocline limits circulation and decay of sinking organic matter promotes respiration, depleting bottom waters of oxygen
What causes the basal waters in some estuaries to become anoxic?
Formation of a strong pycnocline limits circulation and decay of sinking organic matter promotes respiration, depleting bottom waters of oxygen
What causes the basal waters in some estuaries to become anoxic?
Formation of a strong pycnocline limits circulation and decay of sinking organic matter promotes respiration, depleting bottom waters of oxygen (pycnocline = density bc of salt vs fresh water)
(Q10) What causes the basal waters in some estuaries to become anoxic, forming dead zones?
Formation of a strong pycnocline limits circulation, and decay of sinking organic matter promotes respiration, depleting bottom waters of oxygen.
In general, what is the most common thing to happen when fresh water runoff meets ocean water in an estuary?
Fresh water forms a layer on top of a layer of salt water at the bottom
___ Islands have a great diversity of life because of upwelling
Galapagos
(Q10) Which of the following mechanisms of sea level change is NOT eustatic?
Glacial isostatic subsidence and rebound (Are eustatic: Changes in global temperature, Changes in seafloor spreading rate, Formation of continental glaciers and ice caps, Dessication of an ocean basin)
Which of the following mechanisms of sea level change is NOT eustatic?
Glacial isostatic subsidence and rebound (the subsidence and rebound are not worldwide, it just happens at the location of the site of the glacier)
Structure of wind patterns
Global winds are a composite of motion on all scales, hurricanes appear as a large cloud moving slowly across the ocean -Large cloud contains many mesocales thunderstorms - consist of numerous microscale burst
2) What is a gravity wave?
Gravity primary restoring factor; wavelength greater than 2 cm
Deepwater formation comes from
Greenland and near Antarctica
Describe 4 examples of hard stabilization?
Groin, jetty, breakwater, seawalls
Describe 4 examples of hard stabilization?
Groins and groin fields, jetties, breakwaters, and seawalls.
(Q7) Which of the following currents causes the eastern coast of the USA to have milder climate?
Gulf Stream
The current in the NW part of the North Atlantic Subtropical Gyre that transports warm water toward the North Atlantic is called the
Gulf Stream
the world's best studied ocean current; meanders or loops; moves northward along the East Coast of the United States, warming coastal states and moderating winters in these and northern European regions; unique biological populations
Gulf Stream
_________ ______'s are atmospheric circulation cells nearest the equator in each hemisphere. Air in these cells rises near the equator because of strong solar heating there and falls because of cooling at about 30° latitude. See also trade winds. (0 to 30)
Hadley cell
If you are in a boat in an estuary, when will tidal currents going out to sea be the strongest?
Halfway between high and low tide
If you are in a boat in an estuary, when will tidal currents going out to sea be strongest?
Halfway between high tide and low tide
Plunging breakers(tube hallow)
Happen on beaches where the slope is moderately steep. This kind of wave normally curls over forming a tunnel until the wave breaks. Expert surfers love this type of wave.
Surging breakers
Happen on beaches where the slope is very steep. The wave does not actually break. Instead, it rolls onto the steep beach. These kinds of breakers are known for their destructive nature.
How does a tsunami's height, wavelength, and speed change as it approaches the land?
Height ↑, length ↓, speed ↓
Wave Steepness
Height/Length; if >1/7 the wave breaks
Why does ocean temp change little from day to night?
High heat capacity absorbs solar energy quickly and releases it slowly
CC 6.4.2. Why are there high pressure caps at each pole and a low-pressure belt in the equatorial region?
High pressure is due to descending air. Low pressure is due to the opposite in rising air.
Air (Wind) always moves from regions of ______ pressure to ____
High, Low
Steepness of a wave
Hight of wave divided by the length (Tallest and shallowest point added together, divided by the length of starting point to the next time is reaches that point)
Geostrophic Currents
Hill of water in the middle of all gyres:
How does water have such strong surface tension?
Hydrogen bonds form giving it a strong surface tension
Vice President Gore proposes that climate change may be causing more intense hurricanes. In terms of scientific knowledge, what kind of idea is this?
Hypothesis
Icebergs are formed when _____.
Ice breaks off from coastal glaciers that reach the ocean.
Draw the Sun-Earth-Moon configuration that produces a NEAP tide. Include labels for each celestial body, and draw the trial bulge(s)
In order from left to right: earth (Moon directly above earth, bulges on top and bottom of earth) Sun directly to its right
16) What happens when waves approach each other in phase? Out of phase?
In phase: The crests of one wave train coincide with the crests of another train creating constructive interference making the waves larger Out of phase: The crests of a wave train coincide with the troughs of another wave train creating destructive interference making the waves smaller or canceling them
Coriolis effect
In physics, the Coriolis effect is a deflection of moving objects when they are viewed in a rotating reference frame.
CC 6.1.2. How would the sun appear during the summer and winter solstice?
In summer, the Sun reaches the highest point in the sky In winter, the Sun is directly overhead.
summer solstice
In the Northern Hemisphere, it is the instant when the Sun moves north to the Tropic of Cancer before changing direction and moving southward toward the equator approximately June 21.
_____________ ____________ _______ is an area of low pressure near or on the equator where the northeast trades and the southeast trades converge
Intertropical Convergence Zone
ITCZ
Intertropical Convergence zone. Belt of low pressure around the equator. formed by the vertical ascent of warm, moist air from the latitudes north and south of the equator. Lots of precipitation.
What is the concept of isostatic adjustment and what topic in the chapter does it apply to?
Isostatic adjustment is the vertical movement of crust as a result of the floating lithosphere upon denser material beneath (asthenosphere)
What makes a body of water a "marginal sea?"
It is a semi-isolated section of the ocean with restricted circulation from the main ocean
What makes a body of water a marginal sea?
It is a semi-isolated section of the ocean with restricted circulation from the main ocean
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 happens to a rubber ducky sitting on the water's surface when a wave passes by?
It moves in a nearly circular motion but always returns to the same spot
(Q8) What happens to a rubber ducky sitting on the water surface when a wave passes by?
It moves in a nearly circular motion, always returning to approximately the same spot.
what happens to a rubber duck sitting on the water surface when waves pass by?
It moves in a nearly circular motion, always returning to the same spot
What does the Milankovitch cycle refer to?
It takes into account Earth's eccentricity, obliquity, and precession to explain climate variations
Transform plate boundaries are parallel to the relative motion between two plates. What would happen if the direction of the plate motion changed?
It would become either convergent or divergent depending on the direction of motion
What could happen to the Mediterranean Sea if the Gibraltar Sill closed the sea off from the Atlantic Ocean?
It would dry out nearly completely
What would happen to the Mediterranean Sea if the Gibraltar Sill closed it off from the Atlantic Ocean?
It would dry out nearly completely.
Charles Darwin considered a career as a minister. What would have happened to the theory of evolution had he not become a scientist instead?
It would have been proposed around the same time by someone else
SQ 6.4 Along the arctic circle, how would the sun appear during the summer solstice?
It would remain in the sky all day and night.
perihelion
January. sun closer to Earth
The ____ ______ is a narrow fast moving easterly flowing air mass. -causes unusual weather
Jet Stream
Radio-isotypes of Potassium (K40) decay to Argon (AR40). If a rock sample begins with 12 billion K40 atoms, what will the quantities of K40 and AR40 be after 1 half-life and 2 half-lives?
K40= 6 billion, 3 billion. AR40= 6 billion, 9 billion
What is the record of CO2 in the atmosphere that has been collected from volcano in Hawaii?
Keeling curve
Increased pressure difference across equatorial Pacific; stronger trade winds; stronger upwelling in eastern Pacific; shallower thermocline; cooler than regular seawater conditions; higher biological productivity
La Nina
Identify the mismatched pair from the choices below. Identify the mismatched pair from the choices below. A) Kuroshio Current, California Current B) Labrador Current, Humboldt Current C) Brazil Current, Benguela Current D) Agulhas Current, West Australia Current E) Canary Current, Gulf Stream
Labrador Current, Humboldt current
Rogue Waves
Large waves that seem to appear out of nowhere and are unrelated to local sea conditions. Seem to occur when various storm waves collide with each other reach near the edges of continental shelves and where there are constant wind, wave and current patterns. When a vessel gets caught in one of these waves, the results can be devastating
6) How can you calculate the speed of a wave?
Length of wave divided by the wave period (*see equations*)
2) What are wave rays? Why do they form?
Lines drawn at right angles to wave crests to show direction of travel. As waves feel bottom they slow down causing them to bend and hit the shore at an angle.
Eastern Boundary Current
Location - eastside of ocean basin Temperature - cold Direction - south bound or north bound depending on hemisphere.
Equatorial Currents
Location - near the equator Temperature - warm Direction - westward flowing
Equatorial Countercurrents
Location - under the equatorial currents Temperature - warm Direction - eastward flowing
Characteristics of Tsunami's
Long wavelengths, shallow water waves, speed proportional to water depth - so very fast in open ocean
What is the difference between longitudinal waves and transverse waves?
Longitudinal waves move back and forth (slinky), while transverse waves move up and down, waving a rope on a door knob.
Progressive Waves
Longitudinal: one direction (back and forth) Transverse: up and down Oribital: move in a circle as energy moves through them
How do you measure an ocean wave's height?
Measure the distance between the trough and the crest of the wave
How do you measure an ocean wave's wavelength?
Measure the distance between two wave crests
What is causing the trees in parts of Alaska to lean over?
Melting permafrost
What are hydrothermal vent chimneys formed from?
Metal-rich minerals dissolved in hydrothermal fluid
Mixed
Mid-latitude regions 2 unequal high tides & 2 unequal low tides/day. MOST COMMON. West Coast. (Galveston & San Fran)
What is the most common type of interference found in ocean waves?
Mixed interference
How does the tsunami warning system in the Pacific ocean work?
Monitors sensor the ocean floor to pick up small pressure pulses. From a tsunami passing above
The lunar tidal bulge has a period of 12 hrs & 25 minutes, but the solar tidal bulge period is 12 hrs. Why the difference?
Moon moves around Earth in its Orbit.
The atmosphere is made up of
Mostly nitrogen, secondly, oxygen
What can you say about the movement of energy versus the movement of a parcel of water in an ocean wave? How are they different?
Movement of energy is continuous but movement of parcels is cyclical
Describe circular orbital motion
Moves in a circular motion. So the Rubber duck will have moved in a circle.
wind
Moving air.
Global atmospheric circulation patterns - from the inside out
NE trade winds Prevailing westerlies Polar easterlies
Gravitational force is least
Nadir
Equatorial Currents
Near the equator, warm temperature, and westward flowing
Global temp rise increases the amount of cloud cover because of the higher moisture available in the atmosphere. These clouds then reflect incoming solar energy disallowing some of that energy to heat Earth's surface. In this way, the overall effect of increased cloud cover is a decrease in air temperature. What term may be used to describe this process?
Negative-feedback loop
What happens when plate tectonics causes two continents to collide at a convergent plate boundary?
Neither subduct, but form large mountains instead
What does the principle of constant proportions tell us?
No matter the salinity of ocean water, the ratios of major dissolved ions remains the same
What is biological pollution?
Non-native Species: species that originate in a particular area but are introduced into new environment either by the deliberate or accidental actions of humans
2 Trade Winds -
North - East 0-30 South - East 0-30
The Gulf Stream transports warm water into the
North Atlantic
5 Subtropical gyres
North Atlantic South Atlantic North Pacific South Pacific Indian Ocean
A deep powerful southward subsurface current that flows under the Gulf Stream in the North Atlantic is
North Atlantic Deep Water
CC 6.3.1. Describe the Coriolis effect in both the North and South Hemispheres
North: Objects travel to the right of their intended direction South: the opposite (HINT: imagine you are ONLY in the North Hemisphere looking at both the north and south)
___________ ______ _____ are winds that are between 30 deg and the equator. Blow east to west.
Northeast trade winds
The Coriolis Effect results in defection of winds/currents to the RIGHT in the
Northern Hemisphere
Subtropical gyres rotate clockwise in the
Northern Hemisphere (I live in North America and am right handed)
Spilling Breakers(mushy)
Occur on beaches with gentle slopes. These waves break far from the shore, and the surf gently rolls over the front of the wave.
Eastern boundary currents
Occur on the eastern boundary of ocean basins, or the western side of continents
What is constructive interference?
Occurs when wave trains have having the same wavelength come together in phase, meaning crest-to-crest and trough-to-trough.
(Q6) Why is Florida in a tropical climate, while Baja California, at the same latitude is in a temperate climate zone?
Ocean currents bring warm water up from the tropics to Florida but cool water down from the northern latitudes from Baja.
Why is Florida in a tropical climate while Baja CA at the same latitude, is temperate?
Ocean currents bring warm water up from the tropics to Florida but down from northern latitudes to Baja
Why is Florida in a tropical climate while Baja, California, at the same latitude, is temperate?
Ocean currents bring warm water up from the tropics to Florida, but down from northern latitudes to Baja
Orbital waves
Ocean waves on the surface are orbital waves. Particle movement involves components of the movement of longitudinal waves & transverse movements
(Q9) Tides would be easy to predict if ________.
Oceans had uniform depth There were no continents
Main Components of Beach Compartments
Offshore submarine canyons where sand is drained away A series of rivers that supply sand to a beach The beach itself where sand is moving due to longshore transport
Summer Solstice
On June 21, it is the longest day in the Northern Hemisphere due to the fact that the sun is directly over the tropic of Cancer
Vernal Equinox
On March 21-22, it is when there is an equal number of hours of day and night due to the fact that the sun is directly over the equator., Occurs in March and marks the beginning of spring in the Northern hemisphere
Longshore current generally flows in which direction(s) along the coasts of United States?
On the Pacific and Atlantic coasts, the longshore current moves SOUTHWARD along both coasts
CC 6.6.1. Why is the formation of sea ice a self-perpetuating process?
Only a small percentage of the dissolved components can be accommodated into the crystalline structure of ice. As a result, most of the dissolved substance remains in the ice.
How are oozes different from abyssal clays?
Ooze= 30% biogenous test material, Abyssal clay= 70% fine clay-sized particles
La Nina
Opposite of Nino - colder than normal ocean temperature Distinct weather patters: cool conditions in over NW of Pacific -Dry in SE and Se pacific -increased precipitation in NW of Pacific -Hurricanes in atlantic Impact: wester pacific wetter than normal conditions, more hurricanes in Atlantic
What is bioaccumulation?
Organisms concentrate pollutant from seawater. The accumulation of a substance, such as a toxic chemical, in various tissues of a living organism
What is biomagnification?
Organisms gain more pollutant by eating other organisms. Concentration of impurities as animals are eaten and the impurity is passed through food chains.
What causes tsunamis?
Originate from sudden changes in the topography of the sea floor caused by such events as slippage along underwater faults, underwater avalanches such as turbidity currents or the collapse of large oceanic volcanoes, and underwater volcanic eruptions. Mechanisms that trigger seismic events (seismic sea waves). Fault movement. vertical displacement. Most of them in Pacific Ocean.
What is the role of oxygen on Earth?
Our bodies need oxygen to burn food. Oxygen in the form of ozone protects Earth from most ultraviolet radiation (answer not true: it is essential for anaerobic bacteria's survival)
Most destructive tsunamis occur in the _________Ocean, because this is the most seismically active ocean of the world.
Pacific
Oxygen is lower in what ocean?
Pacific
most destructive tsunami occur in the __________ Ocean, because this is the most seismically active ocean of the world.
Pacific
Most Tsunami's occur in the
Pacific Ocean
Where would you be least likely to find an abyssal plain?
Pacific Ocean
the worlds largest wind generated waves are found in which ocean and why are they found there?
Pacific ocean and because of the westerlies
as slush begins to turn into thin sheet, it is broken by wind stress and wave action into ______ ____.
Pancake Ice
Longshore current
Parallel to shoreline. transports sand along the beach. waves suspend sand in water as they rub against bottom.
What is a hypsography curve?
Percentage of Earth's surface at ranges of elevation or depth
Types of Sand Movement
Perpendicular to Shoreline (toward and away) Parallel to shoreline (up or down coast)
Swash
Perpendicular to shoreline. water rushes up the beach (dominates summertime)
Backwash
Perpendicular to shoreline. water drains back to the ocean. (dominates wintertime)
subpolar
Pertaining to the oceanic region that is covered by sea ice in winter. The ice melts away in the summer.
temperate
Pertaining to the oceanic region where pronounced seasonal change occurs (about 40 to 60 degrees latitude). Also known as the middle latitudes.
polar
Pertaining to the polar regions.
tropical
Pertaining to, characteristic of, occurring in, or inhabiting the tropics.
Types of Marine Pollution
Petroleum, Sewage sludge, DDTs/PCBs, Mercury
Although the concentration of CO2 has been going up steadily over the last 40 years, it always goes down during the period of April through October. Why is this?
Plants absorb CO2 during peak growth season
6) What are the two most common types of breakers? What conditions lead to the formation of each?
Plungers: Form on narrow, steep beach slopes (intense break) Spillers: wider, flatter beaches (calm break)
(Q8) Breakers that are high energy waves and form a tube or curl when they break are called _____.
Plunging breakers
_______Regions surrounding the poles, mostly inside the arctic and Antarctic circle's; sun cannot be seen part of year
Polar
Diurnal
Polar Regions. One high tide & One low tide/day Gulf of Mexico (Western FL panhandle, Pakhoi & China)
What is bioaccumulation?
Pollutants per unit as you move up the food chain.
Global temp rise is causing polar ice to melt. Because ice has higher albedo (reflects solar energy) than water, loss of ice cover increases heat absorption in polar regions. This accelerates ice melt. What term may be used to describe this process?
Positive-feedback loop
8) What is a Tsunami?
Powerful, long-period wave produced by a submarine earthquake
Wind Cause
Pressure differences that arise because of temperature differences that are causes by unequal heating of Earth's surface. In addition to land and sea breezes brought about by the daily temperature contrast between land and water (mountain breezes, valley breezes, chinook winds, katabatic winds, and country breezes) *Microscale: wind guys, microburst, dust devils *Mesoscales: tornadoes, thunderstorms, local winds: land/sea breezed, santa ana etc.. *Synoptic Scale Weather Map scale (macroscale): midlatitude cyclone, anticyclone, hurricanes (smaller macroscale systems are tropical storms and hurricanes) *Plantery Scale (Macroscale): Westerlies and Trade Winds
_________ __________ are the winds that blow out of the southwest in the Northern Hemisphere and out of the northwest in the Southern Hemisphere between the subtropical highs at 30 latitude and relatively lower pressure polar fronts at 60 latitude
Prevailing westerlies
How are standing waves formed?
Produced when waves are reflected at right angles to a barrier. Sum of 2 waves with same wavelength moving in opposite directions, resulting in no net movement. NO circular motion. (vertically and horizontally). Tacoma Narrows Bridge.
Hadley model (single-cell circulation model)
Proposed that the contrast in temperatures between the poles and the equator creates a large convection cell in both hemispheres -Hadley cell: warm air rises @ equator until it reaches the tropopause where it spreads toward the poles. (does not take into account earths rotation) (unequal heating in atmosphere of non-rotating earth) *Suggested that the large temperature contrast between the poles and the equator creates a large convection cell in both the Northern and Southern Hemisphere
Global Circulation: 3-cell circulation model for each hemisphere
Provides a view of global circulation -Atmospheric circulation cells are located between the equator and 30 latitude, 30 latitude and 60 latitude, and 60 latitude an the pole -Horse latitudes: areas of general subsidence in the zone between 20 and 35 -In each hemisphere the equator-ward flow from the horse latitudes forms the reliable *trade winds -Prevailing Westerlies: the circulation between 30 and 60 latitude (N & S) -Polar Easterlies: Air that moves equator ward from the poles produces PE in both hemispheres
Why is most lithogenous sediment composed of quartz?
Quartz is resistant to abrasion, it is extremely abundant, and extremely stable
Doldrums
Region of weak pressure gradient , trade winds from each hemisphere meet neat the equator -light winds and humid conditions
Why are ocean ridges different from ocean rises?
Ridges are formed from slow spreading while rises are formed by fast spreading
Where have density currents been discussed before?
Salinity of the ocean
SQ 6.3 During a hot summer day, which would be more common, a sea breeze or a land breeze?
Sea Breeze.
Is a tsunami a deep-, or shallow-water wave? Why?
Shallow, the ocean is not deep enough for it to fit the criteria of deep-water
9) Are Tsunamis deep-water or shallow-water waves? Why?
Shallow-water waves because the ocean depth is less than one-twentieth of the wavelength
According to the Nebular Hypothesis, the Sun, Earth, and other planets in our solar system formed from an enormous cloud of gas and dust. What are the essential facts about the early Earth with respect to the following: existence of oceans, formation of Earth's core, composition of the atmosphere, effects on meteorites, and existence of the Moon.
Size of Protoearth was larger than today, there were no oceans/life, and the core had homogenous composition throughout (answer that is not true: atmosphere was mostly oxygen)
(Q6) If you travel by plane from New York to Paris (going directly eastward across the North Atlantic, which direction do you have to additionally steer the plane to compensate for the Coriolis effect?
Slightly north of a direct line between airports to compensate for the Coriolis force to the right.
If you travel by plane from NY to Paris, which way do you have to steer to arrive in Paris airport?
Slightly north of a direct line to the airport
Indian Ocean currents that are generated by seasonal changes in weather patterns are the __________ and __________ Currents.
Somali/Southwest Monsoon
Subtropical gyres rotate anti-clockwise in the
Southern Hemisphere
The Coriolis Effect results in deflection of winds/currents to the LEFT in the
Southern Hemisphere
Highest Waves found?
Southern ocean, Antarctica. (strong winds, long fetch, long duration storms)
Longshore current generally flows in which direction(s) along the coasts of the United States?
Southward along both coasts
15) What is group speed? How can it be calculated?
Speed at which a group of waves travel; one half the speed of individual waves
When a wave "feels the bottom" this means what?
Speed is decreasing (speed is dependent on depth of water; the shallower the water, the slower the wave's horizontal speed)
What are the 3 types of breakers and how are they generated?
Spilling breaker, a turbulent mass of air and water that runs down the front slope of the wave as it breaks. Plunging breaker, particles in the crest out run the wave Surging wave build up and break on the shore.
What are the 3 types of breakers?
Spilling, Plunging, and Surging!
What are the 3 types of breakers and how are they generated?
Spilling-the crest moves faster than the wave Plunging- the crest curls over and plunges downward Collapsing- crest collapses Surging-crests remain relatively unbroken as the waves slide up the steep beach
4) What is wave diffraction?
Spread of wave energy sideways to the direction of wave travel
13) What are seiches?
Standing waves that occur in natural basins
20) How do you calculate wave steepness? How can you tell if a wave will brake?
Steepness equals height divided by length; when the H/L ratio is 1:7 it breaks
A belt of low air pressure at about 60 degrees north and 60 degrees south latitude is called the ________ ___.
Subpolar low
The descending air at about 30 degrees north and south latitude creates high pressure zones called __________ _____.
Subtropical Highs
High Pressure Zones
Subtropical Highs Polar Highs Clear Skies
Organization of ocean surface currents
Subtropical gyres Equatorial currents and countercurrent Subpolar gyres
Summer solstice
Sun at its most northerly, directly overhead at the Tropic of Cancer. Occurs around June 21. Longest day in Northern Hemisphere
Winter solstice
Sun at its most southerly, directly overhead at the Tropic of Capricorn. Occurs around December 22. Shortest day in the Northern Hemisphere
Autumnal equinox
Sun directly over equator again, also known as fall equinox. Occurs around September 23
Vernal equinox
Sun directly over equator, all places on earth have 12 hour days and nights. Occurs around March 21st
How the Ekman Spiral works
Surface drag sets into motion a thin layer of surface water. Current at surface ~45º to the right of the wind (Northern Hemisphere) Surface currents in turn drag on layers beneath. Underlying layers of water set into motion with greater deflection and current speed decreases with depth. A much-reduced current at depth moves opposite the direction of surface currents. The net transport over the wind-driven column is 90º to the right or left of the surface winds. The net flow of the water known as the Ekman transport .
Deepwater characteristics
Surface water becomes cold and salinity increases as sea ice forms Density increases until water eventually sinks initiating deep-ocean current (Salinity, temperature and resulting density)
Why do deep-ocean currents only form in high-latitude regions?
Surface waters become cold and salinity increases due to the formation of sea ice.
easterlies
Surface winds blowing from east to west
What is the effect on surface winds of heating air at the equator?
Surface winds converge at the equator
What do you do if you are caught in a rip current?
Swim parallel to shore for a short distance to swim out of the narrow rip current)
If you are at the beach and blunder into a rip current, how do you get out?
Swim perpendicular to the current until you are out (usually parallel to shore)
If you are at the beach and blunder into a rip current, how do you get out?
Swim perpendicular to the current until you are out (usually parallel to the shore)
What is an environmental bioassay?
Technique that determines the concentration of a pollutant that causes 50% mortality among a specific group of test organisms
There are four NATURAL causes of Climate Change: Changes in Solar Energy, Variations in Earth's Orbit (and Earth-Sun-Interactions), Volcanic Eruptions and Movement of Earth's tectonic plates. Select one of the four causes of NATURAL climate change and why this process cannot explain current climate change.
Tectonic plates move at an incredibly slow rate (the change from plate tectonics occurs over millions of years) and thus cannot explain why there has been such drastic change in the climate in the past 200 years (since the industrial revolution)
CC 6.3.2. What causes the Coriolis effect?
The Earth's rotation to the east.
How do we detect tsunamis and then warn coastal communities of the approaching wave?
The International Tsunami Warning Systems; they measure/record the vibrations of the crust to detect large earthquakes in the ocean and predict the occurrence of a tsunami.
Suppose we could take the Atlantic Ocean north of the equator and divide it into two compartments along a north-south line (for example, if sea level were much lower and the Mid-Atlantic Ridge was emergent along its length). What would happen to the North Atlantic Gyre?
The Mid-Atlantic Ridge Barrier would turn equatorial currents north and northern boundary currents south, resulting in two gyres, one on each side.
(Q9) Flooding sometimes occurs during proxigean. Why are waters especially high?
The Moon is at perigee.
The world's largest wind-generated waves are found in which ocean, and why are they found there?
The Pacific Ocean, since the Westerlies have less land to go over in the massive ocean
The summer solstice in the Northern hemisphere occurs on our about June 21. At this time, where is the Sun?
The Sun is directly overhead along the Tropic of Cancer.
Describe the physical properties of the atmosphere, including its composition, temperature, density, water vapor content, pressure, and movement
The atmosphere is composed almost entirely of nitrogen and oxygen. The lowest portion of the atmosphere is the troposphere, which is the area where temperature gets cooler with altitude. Warm air is less dense and so it rises. Cold air is denser, so it sinks. Warm air can also hold more water vapor than cold air because the air molecules are moving more quickly and encounter more water vapor. Atmospheric pressure is 14.7 pounds per square inch at sea level and decreases with increasing altitude. Air always moves from high-pressure regions toward low-pressure regions
Why is ocean climate divided into latitude parallel zones that become progressively colder from equator to pole?
The average solar radiation (sunlight) striking the surface declines from equator to poles
(Q6) What causes most places on Earth to have seasons?
The axis of the Earth is tilted relative to the plane of Earth's orbit, causing solar radiation to vary in angle as Earth revolves around the Sun.
5) Why do breakers form as waves approach shallow water?
The bottom of the wave slows down faster than the crest and it topples over
What is wave reflection?
The bouncing back of wave energy caused by waves striking a hard barrier
polar front
The boundary between the global wind belts' prevailing westerlies and polar easterlies that is centered at about 60 degrees latitude in each hemisphere and is characterized by rising air and much precipitation.
What causes the Coriolis effect?
The change in velocity with latitude
1) What is wave refraction?
The change wavelength and wave speed causing the waves to bend as they approach shore
eye
The circular low-pressure area of relative calm at the center of a hurricane.
(Q10) What would happen to a river delta if damming reduced the amount of sediment in the river?
The delta would erode and subside below sea level.
8) What is the wave base? How can you calculate it?
The depth at which the wave has no motion; L/2
11) What controls the speed of a shallow water wave?
The depth of the water; shallower=slower
Direction to propagation
The direction in which a wave is traveling
Autumnal Equinox
The equinox that occurs on September 22 or 23 in the Northern Hemisphere and on March 21 or 22 in the Southern Hemisphere
anticyclonic flow
The flow of air around a region of high pressure clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere.
cyclonic flow
The flow of air around a region of low pressure counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere.
albedo
The fraction of incident electromagnetic radiation reflected by a surface.
horse latitudes
The global belts between about 30 and 35 degrees north and south latitude, where winds are light and variable as a result of the vertical movement of air masses downward at these latitudes, causing a hot, dry climate. These belts are associated with the major continental and maritime deserts of the world.
Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ)
The global zone where northeast trade winds and southeast trade winds converge. It occurs close to the equator but averages about 5 degrees north latitude in the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans and 7 degrees south latitude in the Indian Ocean.
Wavelength
The horizontal distances between the successive creates or troughs
Wind
The horizontal movement of air from an area of high pressure to an area of lower pressure
Why are El Nino events the strongest in the Pacific Ocean?
The large width of the equatorial Pacific Ocean.
Tropic of Cancer
The latitude 23.5 degrees north, which is the furthest location south that receives vertical rays of the sun.
Tropic of Capricorn
The latitude 23.5 degrees south, which is the furthest location south that receives vertical rays of the sun.
Arctic circle
The latitude 66.5° north.
Antarctic circle
The latitude 66.5° south.
What is the "still-water level" of an ocean wave?
The level of sea surface if it was perfectly calm and flat
If you have two deep-water waves with periods of 5 and 10 seconds, what can you say about their speeds?
The longer period wave will have greater speed
(Q8) If you have two deep-water waves with periods of 5 and 10 seconds, what can you say about their speeds?
The longer period wave will have greater speed.
(Q10) What would happen to longshore sediment transport along the coast if rivers were dammed, trapping sand behind the dams?
The longshore sediment transported would be weakened.
climate
The meteorological conditions, including temperature, precipitation, and wind that characteristically prevail in a particular region; the long-term average of weather.
valley breeze
The movement of air created by warm air rising and flowing up the slope of a mountain.
Wave frequency
The number of waves that pass a particular point in a given time period
(Q10) Which is NOT a main component of a beach compartment?
The ocean portion of the beach where water flows. (are main components: Offshore submarine canyons where sand is drained away, A series of rivers that supply sand to a beach, The beach itself where sand is moving due to longshore transport)
vernal equinox
The passage of the Sun across the equator as it moves from the Southern Hemisphere into the Northern Hemisphere, approximately March 21. During this time, all pleas in the world experience equal lengths of night and day.
The alternating reversals of Earth's magnetic field throughout history have been recorded in sea floor rocks in a particular pattern. How does this support plate tectonics?
The pattern of alternating reversals indicates seafloor spreading
14) What is the source of power in waves?
The power is in the transfer of potential to kinetic energy
tropics
The region of Earth's surface lying between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. Also known as the Torrid Zone.
polar high
The region of high atmospheric pressure that occurs at the poles in both hemispheres.
land breeze
The seaward flow of air from the land caused by differential cooling of Earth's surface.
Why is the topography of the coastal continents similar to the bathymetry of the continental shelf?
The shelf is continental crust
weather
The state of the atmosphere at a given time and place, with respect to variables such as temperature, moisture, wind velocity and barometric pressure.
(Q9) The tide is sweeping across the ocean toward land. The shelf suddenly shallows significantly. What happens to the tide?
The tide is slowed down.
The tide is sweeping across the ocean toward land. The continental shelf is significantly wider at one location than another farther down the coast. What will happen to the tide at the location where the shelf is wider?
The tide will be retarded
If the Moon had an iron core, what would happen to lunar tides?
The tides would become larger because the Moon is more massive
If the moon had an iron core, what would happen to lunar tides?
The tides would become larger because the moon is more massive. ( more mass atomically)
Wave height
The vertical distance between the crest and trough
Give an example of how a wave-power generating system operates.
The water column is put into water. The water level within increases and decreases with waves coming in. The generator converts this mechanical...
Name or describe a type of coastal area that is warmer because of ocean currents, and explain why.
The western side of any continent because warmer water comes from the equator and circulates toward the western side of things.
Why do tsunami waves always behave as shallow water waves?
Their wavelengths are long enough that anywhere in the ocean the water depth is less than L/20
A non-rotating Earth would have a single convection cell (wind belt) in each hemisphere. What is the result of Earth's rotation on formation of wind belts?
There are 3 wind belts in each hemisphere
Why are gas hydrate deposits abundant on submarine continental margins?
There is a high temperature with low pressure
During a hurricane, which of the following is UNLIKELY to occur on a barrier island?
There will be little change in size and shape to the island
(Q10) During a hurricane, which of the following is UNLIKELY to occur on a barrier island?
There will be little change in size and shape to the island.
Why do lakes like the Dead Sea and Great Salt Lake make floating objects so much more buoyant than they would be in seawater?
These waters are hypersaline; high amount of dissolved solids make it dense and buoyant
Local Winds: Katabatic winds
These winds originate when cold, dense air begins to move
In relation to plate tectonics, what is a major overall trend in earthquakes?
They occur at plate boundaries
shelf ice
Thick shelves of glacial ice that push out into Antarctic seas from Antarctica. Large tabular icebergs calve at the edge of these vast shelves.
Barycenter
Tide-Generating Force (between Moon & Earth) common center of mass or balance point beneath Earth's surface because of Earth's greater mass
Tidal generating vector
Tide-producing force. difference of the moon's gravitational force & centripetal force
Resultant forces
Tide-producing force. differences between centripetal & gravitational forces
Cause of seasons
Tilt of the earth
What right-angle features connect parallel segments of mid-ocean ridges?
Transform faults
Subtropical Gyres
Transport warm tropical water toward poles
What is the difference between longitudinal waves and transverse waves?
Transverse waves: particles/fields move perpendicularly to the direction the wave travels; longitudinal waves: particles oscillate parallel to the direction of wave motion
7) What is a rip current? How does it form?
Travels from the beach out to the sea very quickly. The water does not accumulate on the beach it travels back out to sea in these currents
Northern tropic
Tropic of cancer (Think lots of cancer in america)
Southern tropic
Tropic of capricorn (Get that corn out of my face, Nacho Libre, South America)
Semidiurnal
Tropical Regions. 2 high tides & 2 low tides/day. Tidal range the same East Coast. (Boston)
Lowest part of the wave
Troughs
A Doppler flow meter is a scientific measurement used to measure current flow rates
True
Deep ocean currents often move cold, dense water away from the poles.
True
Deep ocean water masses have characteristic temperatures and salinities.
True
Downwelling may be the result of winds blowing parallel to a coastline or the convergence of surface currents.
True
Dynamic topography can be used to determine current direction and velocity.
True
In the northern hemisphere, Ekman transport pushes surface water to the right of the wind direction.
True
Monsoons are seasonal pressure systems that develop at lower latitudes over continents, which cause changes in seasonal winds and precipitation patterns.
True
The circular movement of surface water currents driven by the major wind belts are called gyres.
True
The main current in antartic waters is the Antartic Circumpolar Current, also called the west wind drift
True
The subtropical gyres exhibit geostrophic flow, related to pressure gradients, friction and the Coriolis effect
True
Western boundary currents such as the Gulf Stream transport warm water from the tropics towards higher latitudes
True
Which of the following is true of surface water circulation near Antartica?
Two circumpolar currents dominate it, one current that moves water to the east and one that moves water to the west
If a point on the coast experiences a semi-diurnal tide, what does the daily tide record show?
Two nearly equal high tides and two nearly equal low tides
(Q9) If a point on the coast experiences a semi-diurnal tide, what does the daily tide record show?
Two nearly equal high tides and two nearly equal low tides each day
If a point on the coast experiences a semi-diurnal tide, what does the daily tide record show?
Two nearly equal high tides and two nearly equal low tides each day
Under which conditions are droughts and wildfires common in Australia?
Under El Nino conditions
Equatorial Countercurrents
Under the equator currents, warm, and eastward flowing
(Q7) ENSO is responsible for worldwide climate changes over short timescales. The economy of Peru has been greatly affect by ENSO Warm Phases. Why?
Warm, nutrient poor waters replace the cold and nutrient-rich upwelled waters that usually sustain Peruvian fisheries.
11) What is an internal wave? Where and how does one form?
Wave created below the sea surface at the boundary of two density layers. They form when events cause the pycnocline to move up or down
19) How is the energy of a wave related to wave height?
Wave energy increases rapidly with the square of the wave height
4) What is a deep water wave? How is it defined mathematically?
Wave in water deeper than one half of their wavelength D > L/2
3) What is a shallow water wave? How is it defined mathematically?
Wave in water with a depth of less than one-twentieth the wavelength; D < L/20
Why does wave height increase in shallow water?
Wave orbital motion is constricted by the sea bottom
The time elapsed between two successive waves passing a given point is called what?
Wave period
Waves converge on headlands and disperse in embayments due to what ocean wave phenomenon?
Wave refraction (the bending of waves/crests as waves approach the shore; the section where the shallow water moves slower)
Shoaling
Wave shoaling occurs as waves travel toward shore in shallow water. Shoaling is the change in wave characteristics that occur when a wave reaches shallow water.
The ratio of wave height (H) to wavelength (L) is called what?
Wave steepness
How can you calculate wave speed?
WaveSpeed(S)=(wavelength(L))/period(t)
What are shallow-water waves?
Waves in which their depth is less than 1/2 of it's wavelength
What are transitional waves?
Waves that have characteristics of both shallow waves and deep water waves. The speed depends on the depth and partially on wave length.
Swells
Waves that have moved out of their area of origin. They have long wavelength with regular patter of crest and troughs.
What are shallow-water waves?
Waves that touch the ocean floor
Destructive interference
Waves, of same wavelength come together out of phase. Crest to trough. Energies can cancel.
Constructive interference.
Waves, of same wavelength, come together in phase. Crest to crest or thought to trough. Wave height is the sum of the two waves heights.
Alfred Wegener's theory of continental drift seems so reasonable today. Why was it rejected by a majority of scientists during the early 20th century?
Wegener was a meteorologist not a geologist, evidence supporting the theory was not available until 1950s, his driving mechanism was considered inadequate
The largest of the great ocean surface currents is the __________.
West Wind Drift
The Gulf Stream and the Brazil Current are examples of what?
Western boundary currents
Western Boundary Currents
Westside of the ocean basin, warm, heading to the northeast in the NH, flows southeast in the SH
If you look at the beach sand under a magnifying glass, what do you see?
Whatever sand-sized particles are available from rivers and streams
What is biological pollution?
When non-native species are introduced into new environments by deliberate or accidental actions. Causes ecological havoc.
Constructive interference results from two waves interfering with one another in what manner?
When the wave crests and troughs of two waves coincide/line up
3) What is wave reflection?
When the wave hits a cliff or barrier and doesn't break its energy is reflected in the general opposite direction
How are standing waves formed?
When waves are reflected at right angles to a barrier.
The Calcite Compensation Depth (CCD) is the depth of the ocean where _______ equals ______.
Where carbonate dissolution equals carbonate supply
What is meant by a 'density interface' in terms of ocean waves?
Where internal waves occur that are two separate water densities
Where would you expect to find ocean trenches?
Where ocean crust subducts under continental/ocean crust
el nino
a climate variation that takes place in the tropical Pacific about every three to seven years, for a duration of about one year.
fetch refers to what?
a large expanse of open water over which the wind blows and generates waves
large volume of air that has a definite area of origin and distinctive characteristics
air mass
__ __ are large volumes of air that have a definite area of origin & distinctive characteristics
air masses
A cyclonic flow is caused by
air moving from high to low pressure
Types of interfaces/waves
air/ocean:ocean air/air: atmospheric water/water: internal
The percentage of solar radiation reflected from the surface of Earth back into space is known as the
albedo
sea ice affects earths __
albedo
the _ of various earth materials is the percentage of incident radiation that is reflected back to space
albedo
the percentage of incident radiation that is reflected back to space
albedo
Upwelling brings up nutrients which feeds
algae
Equator
an imaginary line around the Earth forming the great circle that is equidistant from the north and south poles
encircles antarctica; transports more water than any other current; driven by the powerfully prevailing westerly wind belt (aka West Wind Drift)
antarctic circumpolar current
as air leaves the high pressure regions & curves tot the right, it establishes a clockwise for of air around the high pressure cells, called
anticyclonic flow
when the wind swirls clockwise in the northern hemisphere and air sinks (counter-clockwise in southern hemisphere)
anticyclonic flow
Marine Pollution
any harmful substance or energy put into oceans by humans.
Warm ocean currents
are warmer than the surrounding waters
Inter-tropical Convergence Zone
area where warm, moist air rises close to the equator
sea
area where wind generated waves are formed
the greatest temperature increase have been experienced in the __ __
artic ocean
gravity waves
as capillary waves increase in size the sea surface becomes rougher
Doldrums or Intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ)
at equator
__ & __ make up one interdependent system
atmosphere & oceans
trace __ __ absorb heat that is re-radiated from the surface of the earth
atmosphere gases
The Earth's climate system is made up of the
atmosphere, hydrosphere, geosphere, biosphere, and cryosphere
__ __ depends on the weight of the column of air above it
atmospheric pressure
When do the solstices and equinoxes occur?
b. Summer solstice- june 21/22 b. winter solstice- december 21/22 a. vernal equinox- march 20/21 d. autumnal equinox- september 22/23
________ propels gyres and holds them along edges of ocean basin
balance of wind energy, friction, coriolis effect, and pressure gradient
Features of barrier islands
beach and dunes on the ocean side salt marsh on lagoon side separated by barrier flat
What is an alternative to hard stabilization?
beach nourishment
Day time sea breeze
blows landward and is strong
Night time sea breeze
blows seaward and is weaker
The trough of an ocean wave is what part of the wave?
bottom (valley) of the wave
Rip Currents
bottom irregularities in ocean causing water not to flow back regularly.
Berm
bottom of the backshore beach
Beach face
bottom of the foreshore beach (running!)
Wave cut bench
bottom of the nearshore beach from low tide shoreline to longshore trough
Beach
bottom worked by breaking waves. Breaker zone up to coastline
(Q7) Upwelling provides an important mixing mechanism for surface and deep waters that _______.
brings cold, deep, nutrient-rich water to the surface, fueling phytoplankton blooms
Compared to western boundary currents, eastern boundary currents are:
broad and slow.
What changes to wave height and wave speed would you expect as waves enter the shoaling zone?
c. Wave height increases while wave speed decreases.
Global distribution of precipitation
can be explained by global winds and pressure systems -Regions of High pressure: associated with subsidence and divergent winds experience dry conditions -Regions of Low pressure: converging winds and ascending air receive ample precipitation
How do wind generated waves develop? Start as ripples or ______ waves
capillary
__ __ enters the atmosphere as a result of combustion of __ compounds with oxygen & is a colorless & odorless gas
carbon dioxide
of all the human caused gases, __ __ makes the greatest relative contribution to increasing the greenhouse effect
carbon dioxide
since 1958, _ has increased from 315 to 385 ppm
carbon dioxide
Tides
caused by gravitational tug of sun & moon, results in huge, low predictable waves
coastal upwelling
caused by wind blowing parallel to shore or offshore; friction of wind blowing along ocean surface causes water to begin moving, Coriolis effect deflects it to the right, and resultant ekman transport moves it offshore
Centripetal force
center-seeking force; rotation about "barycenter"=balance point of systems
change volume
change a. the volume of ocean basins b. expand/contract the ocean by heating or cooling it which changes the density. Changing shape of basin. MOR spreading rate fast=MOR higher (smaller basin volume)
southern oscillation
change in atmospheric pressure and wind direction; high pressure builds in western pacific and low pressure dominates eastern pacific=winds blow east to west
Worldwide (Eustatic)
change of ocean's volume.
What is eustatic sea level change and what are some examples?
changes in sea level that are experienced worldwide due to changes in seawater volume or ocean basin capacity. Examples: sea floor spreading, global temperature, continental glaciers/ice caps, ocean basins.
north atlantic deep water
channels allow cold dense water formed in arctic to flow into N atlantic; forms when warm and salty N atlantic ocean cools as cold winds from N canada sweep over it. Gulf stream water that sinks in N is replaced with warm water along US eastcoast in N atlantic gyre
Transitional Waves
characteristics of both Deep and Shallow-water waves, celerity depends on both water depth and wavelength.
transitional waves
characteristics of shallow-water waves & deep-water waves
Salt Wedge
classification of estuary. deep, high volume (large rivers, fresh @ surface to ocean, salt @ bottom) strong halocline
Highly statified
classification of estuary. deep, relatively strong halocline (little mixing)
Vertically Mixed
classification of estuary. shallow, low volume (high salinity, head to mouth)
Slightly stratified
classification of estuary. deeper; upper layer less salty, lower layer more salty estuarine circulation (fresh water out to ocean, salt coming from ocean)
__ is the long term average of weather
climate
the long-term average of weather
climate
Perigee
closest point to Earth. Moon appears larger.
__ is stored as biogenous calcareous sediments & fossil fuels
co2
Splash wave
coastal landslides, calving icebergs
Canary current
cold
Warm air holds more water vapor than
cold air (think humidity - occurs in warm air)
California Current
cold current, northern hemisphere, temperate latitudes
Canary Current
cold current, northern hemisphere, temperate latitudes
West Wind Drift
cold current, polar latitudes, southern hemisphere
Benguela Current
cold current, southern hemisphere, temperate latitudes
Importance of ocean currents
cold currents: dry climate warm currents: warm moist climate
a __ __ is the contact between a cold air mass moving into an area occupied by warm air
cold front
a __ __ is usually steeper, & the temperature differene across it is greater than the other front
cold front
the contact between a cold air mass moving into an area occupied by warm air
cold front
mixed interference
complex pattern arising from the coming together of swells of various heights & wavelengths (most common)
Declination
complicating factor. shifts lunar & solar bulges from equator. (unequal tides) Sun to Earth.
sinking air tends to warm because of its __
compression
water mass characteristics are determined by:
conditions of heating, cooling, evaporation, and dilution that occurred at ocean surface when mass was formed
Downwelling can result from ______
converging surface currents
Ekman transport causes surface seawater to move towards an area, causing the surface seawater to pile up, pushing seawater downward (downwelling); low biological productivity
converging surface seawater
an integrated model combining deep thermohaline circulation and surface currents; surface water carries heat to high latitudes via the Gulf Stream, which is then transferred to the overlying atmosphere during the winter months
conveyer belt circulation
__ air is more dense, so it sinks
cool
rising air tends to __ due to its expansion
cool
Eastern boundary currents carry
cool water from high latitudes towards equator
A zone of high atmospheric pressure results when there is relatively __________ air aloft
cool, dry
the __ __ causes moving objects on earth to follow curved paths from the observers perspective
coriolis effect
the __ __ changes the intended path of a moving body
coriolis effect
the differences in the speed of earths rotation at different latitudes causes the __ _
coriolis effect
Highest part of the wave
crests
Plunging breaker
curling crest occurs because the particles in the crest literally outrun the wave and there is nothing beneath them to support their motion. Moderately steep beach slopes and are best for surfing. wave energy over shorter distance.
Sun's ___ varies between 23.5 degrees north and 23.5 degrees south
declination
the sun's __ (the angular distance from the equatorial plane) varies between 23.5 degrees north & 23.5 degrees south of the equator on a yearly cycle
declination
the intensity of radiation at high latitudes is greatly ___ compared with the intensity of radiation received in equatorial regions
decreased
atmospheric pressure __ with increasing altitude
decreases
the additon of water vapor __ the density of air
decreases
Ekman spiral and transport - wind speed
decreases and it goes further down in the water
Temperature
decreases with altitude (Heat rises, but not in this situation)
the addition of water vapor ___ the density of air because water vapor has ___ density than air
decreases, lower
density-driven circulation that moves water vertically and accounts for the thorough mixing of the deep masses of ocean water
deep currents
provides oxygen to deep sea
deep ocean currents
if an ocean wave has a wavelength of 500 m and is found in a part of the ocean that is 4,500 meters deep, what type of wave is it?
deep water
ekman spiral
deeper layer of water moves at an angle to the right (N hem) of the overlying water; each lower layer moves more slowly because of frictional losses; results in water flowing in opposite direction from surface current
dry air is more __ so it sinks
dense
water is 1000x more __ than air
dense
water is 1000x more ___ than air, causing oceanic weather systems to develop more ___ but last ___ than atmospheric systems
dense, slowly, longer
The loss of heat from the ocean surface, resulting in lowered temperature, causes ocean water to become
denser
Water is ___ (1000 times greater) than air
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
Wave base
depth below the surface where orbital movement is so small it is negligible
Longshore transport
direction changes due to wave approach. net sediment movement is southward along the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of U.S.
fetch
dist over which the wiind blows in one direction
how do you measure an ocean waves wavelength
distance between two wave crests
What are the different types of tidal patterns?
diurnal tidal patterns, triurnal tidal patterns, semidiurnal patterns, mixed tidal patterns triurnal tidal patterns isnt
What are the different types of tidal patterns?
diurnal, semidiurnal, mixed
surface seawater moves away, being replaced by deeper, cooler, nutrient-rich seawater (upwelling); high biological productivity
diverging surface seawater
The _________ is a belt of calm and light winds between the northern and southern trade winds of the Atlantic and Pacific
doldrums
downwelling
downward movement of water; when water moves towards coast
water driven toward a coastline will be forced ______, returning seaward along cont. shelf
downward; helps supply deeper ocean with dissolved gases and nutrients; no direct effect on climate
Energy from the sun's heating
drives global ocean-atmosphere circulation
The worldwide effects of El Niño include all of the following except:
drought in the U.S. Gulf coastal states.
Horse Latitudes: Subsiding air between 20-35
dry due to little moisture near the equator -adiabatic heating during descent reduced relative humidity in the air -tropical deserts as located here -surface winds are weak here in the belt of horse latitude
Ekman's spiral comes from
each layer of water is set in motion to the right of the layer of water above it and at a slower velocity, making it spiral
Neap Tides
earth-moon line is at right angles to earth-sun line. High Tides not so high, low tides not so low. 2 times/month. Lunar Months moon and sun tidal bulges do not reinforce
give 3 different examples of disturbing forces that have been known to cause tsunamis
earthquake, under water landslide, volcanic eruption, meteor strike
the coriolis effect is a result of the earth's rotation toward the __
east
the open ocean is divided into climatic regions that run generally __ (parallel to lines of latitude) & have relatively stable boundaries that are somewhat modified by ocean surface current
east to west
Equatorial currents that are apart of the subtropical gyres flow ____. Equatorial counter currents between the gyres flow ______.
east to west; west to east
Which direction do ocean currents in the South Pacific move under El Nino conditions?
eastward
Low Tide
ebb tide, seawater moves away from shore.
the plane traced by earth's orbit is called the __
ecliptic
Coastal Wetland
ecosystem with water table close to land. ecosystem saturated with water.
Ocean frontal systems that spin off from currents such as the gulf stream, akin to atmospheric storms are known as
eddies
large rotating masses of water caused by river meandering
eddies
westward intensification
effect on current flow; western boundary currents are faster, deeper, and narrower than eastern
solstice
either of the two times of the year when the sun is at its greatest distance from the celestial equator
(Q8) Most internal waves are created by _______.
energy being released in the ocean
Waves transport...
energy not mass. EXCEPT Gulf Stream Current which transports both.
great quantities of dense water sinking at polar ocean basins must be offset of:
equal quantities of water rising elsewhere
Coriolis effect defects currents away from the
equator
a zone of low pressure & much precipitation occurs along the __
equator
air travels from the high pressure of the poles to the low pressure at the __
equator
Newton's gravitational law
every particle of mass in the universe attract every other particle of mass
Coastal Ocean
everything shoreward of the continental shelf break
large quantities of ice form in relatively short periods of time when the temperature is at __ __
extremely low levels
As air moves across the Ocean surface toward the low pressure center, it is drawn up around the ___ __ ___ ________
eye of the Hurricane
T/F: The autumnal equinox occurs when the sun is directly overhead along the equator in March
false
T/F: The trade winds can be found between 30° and 60°N and S latitudes
false
T/F: Within the troposphere, the atmosphere gets warmer with increasing altitude
false
T/F:A maritime polar air mass is likely to be dry and cold
false
coriolis force
false force due to Earth's rotation. In Northern Hemp. thing get deflected right. In Southern Hemp. things get deflected left.
Apogee
farthest point from Earth.
the coriolis effect has a greater effect at __ speeds
faster
Reversing Current
flood & ebb current. high velocity flow in restricted channels.
High Tide
flood tide, seawater moves on shore
gyres
flow around periphery of an ocean basin
transverse currents
flow from east to west and west to east, linking eastern and western boundary currents
During winter months, monsoon winds over the Indian Ocean:
flow from land to sea and are dry.
west wind drift (antarctic circumpolar current)
flows endlessly eastward around antarctic, driven by westerly winds; largest current; never deflected by continent
Equatorial countercurrent
flows from the east to west(In the ocean basin)
trochoidal waves
form with pointed crests & rounded troughs
tsunami
formed by sudden change in bathymetry, most occur in the Pacific
In general, what is the most common thing to happen when fresh water runoff meets ocean water in an estuary?
freshwater forms a layer on top of a layer of salt water @ the bottom.
Incoming sunlight and outgoing heat combine on a daily basis for a net heat ___ in low-latitude oceans and a net heat ___ in high-latitude oceans
gain, loss
Cool ocean currents
generally flow from high latitudes towards the equator
the net effect of the balance of gravity and the Coriolis effect, moving in a circular path around the convergence
geostrophic flow
El Nino
gradual warming of eastern P waters in december or january impact: noted to its potentially catastrophic impact on weather and economies of child, peru, australia -Arid areas can received a lot of precipitation -Change in surface water tem kill fish -related to major shift of ocean circulation, affects local weather and climate
Depositional Shores
gradually subsiding shore Barrier islands/sand deposits/spits/river deltas
Tides
gravitational attraction between Moon, Sun, and Earth
As more energy is captured by the ocean _______ waves develop
gravity
as a result of the sun's declination, the region between these two latitudes (called the tropics) receives much __ annual radiation than the polar areas
greater
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
the __ __ keeps the earth's surface & lower atmosphere warm in a way similar to keeping the plants warm
green house effect
Wave Train
groups of waves with similar characteristics. Speed is 1/2 speed of individual wave
One of the worlds most powerful currents, located off the east coast of the US is the
gulf stream
A large system of rotating ocean currrents, usually driven by the major wind belts is called a
gyre
large, circular moving loops of water that are driven by the major wind belts of the world
gyres
geostrophic gyres
gyres in balance btwn the pressure gradient and the coriolis effect
wave base
half of the wavelength
If you are in a boat in an estuary, when will tidal currents going out to sea be strongest?
halfway between high tide and low tide
__ __ describes al the ways in which heat is added to & subtracted from earth
heat budget
atmosphere is warmed mostly by...
heat radiating from land and ocean
Wave Height
height from trough to crest. directly related to wave energy. usually less than 2 meters Breakers (whitecaps) formed when waves reach critical steepness. Once you reach highest attained it can not keep going up unless the other factors also increase.
In ___-latitude regions, there is no pycnocline, so substantial vertical mixing (upwelling and downwelling) occurs
high
less radiation strikes the earth at __ latitudes, because sunlight passes through more of the atmosphere at these latitudes
high
sunlight strikes __ latitudes at low angle, so the amount of radiation is spread over a large area
high
Density changes due to salinity are only important in very ___ latitudes
high (b/c temperature remains low and relatively constant)
Low latitudes sunlight hits earth at a
high angle (Think a flashlight shining from far away. less concentrated area)
Trochoidal Waves
high energy, pointed crests. Crests pointed, troughs rounded, greater wave heights
Solar energy passes through more atmosphere at
high latitudes due to angle
cool, dense air sinks at the poles, creating __ pressure at the surface
high pressure
Wind is the movement of
high pressure to low pressure
air (wind) always moves from regions of __ presure to _ pressure
high to low
Gravity Waves
high wave energy symmetrical waves with longer wavelengths.
(Q6) At 30°N latitude, the air pressure is _______, weather is ________, and the winds are _________.
high, dry, calm
air always moves from ___-pressure regions toward ___-pressure regions (called WIND)
high, low
a column of cool, dense air causes ___ pressure at the surface, which will lead to ___ air (movement ___ the surface and ___)
high, sinking, toward, compression
Most water involved in deep-ocean currents (thermohaline circulation) originates in ___ latitudes at ___
high, the surface (surface water becomes dense and sinks; temperature and salinity change very little once sunk)
crests
highest parts of the wave
wavelength
horizontal distance between successive crests or troughs
________ _________ are regions of high pressue and gentle winds at about 30 degrees north and south latitude
horse latitudes
Low density
hot air
Global atmospheric circulation patterns - the equator is
hot, thus bringing air towards it
___ climate on adjacent landmass
humid
in the north & south america, tropical cyclones are called __
hurricanes
__ __ are fragments of glarciers or shelf ice
ice bergs
__ are bodies of floating ice broken away from a glacier
ice bergs
__ are formed by vast ice sheets on land, which grow from accumulation of snow & slowly flow outward to the sea
ice bergs
(Q6) Icebergs are formed when ________.
ice breaks off from coastal glaciers that reach the sea.
As further freezing occurs, pancake ice coalesces to form ______ ____.
ice floes
How does the tilt of the Earth's axis affect the intensity of the sun's rays?
if the northern hemisphere is pointed toward the sun, the rays will be direct if it is tilted away from the sun, the rays will be indirect
Northern boundary currents
in Northern Hemisphere comprise the northern parts of subtropical gyres
Southern boundary currents
in Southern Hemisphere these current form the southern part of subtropical gyres
Sun-Earth-Moon - SPRING tides
in order from left to right: Moon, earth directly to it's right, sun directly right of the earth.
Constructive
in-phase wave=height of resulting wave is larger
Transitional waves(intermediate
inbetween, have characteristics of shallow and deep water waves
PCB
industrial chemicals washed away to the coast.
__ radiation is released from the earths surface
infrared
Salinity Variable
input of freshwater runoff (low salinity) Dry offshore wind (high evap and salinity) Runoff and wind mixed
add __ to tropical oceans to "fertilize" them, increase in biological productivity
iron
what happens to a rubber ducky sitting on the waters surface when a wave passes by?
it moves in a nearly circular motion but always returning to the same spot
how does a tsunami height, wavelength, and speed change as it approaches the land?
it slows down, it gets taller and it gets bigger
cool, high density air sinks, creating a high-pressure region that causes the wind to blow from the land, this is known as a __ __, & it is the most prominent in the late eveneing & early morning hours
land breeze
since the land and air above the ocean cools faster at night, air sinks, forming a high pressure region. Since the ocean is warmer than the land, a low pressure is formed and the air is forced off-shore
land breeze
Tropical storms are powered by the release of vast amounts of...
latent heat of condensation
in the southern hemisphere, an object will follow a path to the __ of an intended direction
left
duration
length of time wind blows in one direction
the amount & intensity of solar radiation received at higher latitudes are much __ than at lower latitudes
less
Angle of sun relative to sea surface
less radiation reflected when sun is directly overhead and more when it's low. (Think the sun's reflection in water at sunset vs. in the morning)
warm air, ___ dense; cool air, ___ dense
less, more
indirect rays
light rays that do not hit the Earth straight on
Florida Peninsula
limestone, a rock material resistant to dissolution and erosion. coastline retreat small.
Tropic of Cancer
located at 23.5° N latitude
the coriolis effect is much more pronounced on objects traveling __ distances
long
earths surface, emits __ wavelenght infrared radiation (heat)
longer
faster waves have?
longer wavelength not height
5) Describe the anatomy of a wave (crest, trough, wavelength, wave height, amplitude, wave steepness, wave period, and wave frequency). Make sure you can identify them on a figure of a wave.
look at all parts in your book
In ___-latitude regions, the boundary between the warm surface water and the deeper cold water is marked by a prominent thermocline and corresponding pycnocline that prevent vertical mixing
low
___ pressure at equator
low
close to the poles, much incoming solar radiation strikes earths surface at __ angles
low
n. hemisphere winds move counterclockwise around a __ pressure region
low
s. hemisphere winds move clockwise around a _ pressure region
low
sunlight strikes _ latitudes at a high angle
low
Temperature Variable
low latitude: restricted circulation, warm waters.(isothermal) high latitude: temperature of coastal waters remains uniformly cold (near freezing; isothermal) Middle latitudes: Thermocline; water is warmed during summer and cooled during winter.
Summertime beach
low, long waves. berm builds up at expense longshore bar relatively steep beach face.
a column of warm, less dense air causes ___ pressure at the surface, which will lead to ___ air (movement ___ ___ the surface and ___)
low, rising, away from, expansion
Compared to Antarctic Bottom Water, North Atlantic Deep Water is:
lower in oxygen.
What is the overall effect of the stronger than normal trade winds typical of La Niña conditions?
lowering of the south pacific ocean temp from normal conditions
Troposphere
lowest layer of atmosphere, where all weather occurs
troughs
lowest points
currents
mass flow of water that causes horizontal drift of ships and vertical movement of cold water
Fully developed sea
max wave height, wavelength for particular fetch, speed and duration of winds at equilibrium.
tropical storms are classified according to their?
maximum sustained speed
the Brazos River is a ____ river
meandering
Flucuations in the flow of the Gulf Stream result in curving loops of water known was
meanders
how do you measure an oceans wave's height?
measure from trough to crest
what are 7 indications of global warming increase?
melting glaciers, shift in seasons, shift in species distribution, warmer oceans, change in energy exchange, shift in areas of rain/drought, rising sea level
__ is the second most abundant human-casued greenhouse gas
methane
what are 4 other trace greenhouse gases besides carbon dioxide & water vapor?
methane, nitrous oxide, ozone, & chlorofluorocarbons
Spring Tides
moon, earth & sun are aligned. High tides are Highest, Low Tides lowest. (new or full moon present). 2 times/month. Lunar Months. moon and sun tidal bulges reinforce
Wave erosion increases with
more erosion exposed to open ocean. smaller tidal range weaker bedrock
antarctic bottom water
most distinctive of deep water masses; extreme density, great amount of it produced near antarctic coasts, ability to migrate N along seafloor; flows many times as slowly as water in surface currents
land breeze
movement of air from land to sea at night, created when cooler, denser air from the land forces up warmer air over the sea
sea breeze
movement of air from sea to land during the day when cooler air from above the water moves over the land, forcing the heated, less dense air above the land to rise
thermohaline circulation
movement of water due to differences in density; slow circulation at great depths
Upwelling
movement of water from the bottom to the top of the water column
downwelling
movement of water from the top to the bottom of the water column
Volatilization
natural way of oil to be released from ocean Oil evaporates.
Photo Oxidation
natural way of oil to be released from ocean oil broken down by sun's rays
Emulsification
natural way of oil to be released from ocean oil mixes with the seawater
ekman transport
net motion of water down to about 100 m
Ekman Transport
net water movement to the left or right of the direction of the wind
the atmosphere is made up of mostly what two elements
nitrogen & oxygen
atmosphere is mostly composed of what two elements?
nitrogen and oxygen
Wave base
no more energy reaching the depth
Florida Panhandle/Gulf Coast
non-resistant sedimentary rocks. coastline retreat is large
air pressure across equatorial Pacific is higher in eastern Pacific; strong southeast trade winds; pacific warm pool on western side; thermocline deeper on western side; upwelling off the coast of Peru
normal conditions
Gulf Stream
northern hemisphere, temperate latitudes, warm current
Western boundary currents
occur when an equatorial currents meets the land on the western side of an ocean basin
Interference patterns
occur when swells from different areas run into one another, produced when two or more wave systems collide in the sum of the disturbance that each wave would have produced individually
constructive interference results from 2 waves interfering with one another in what manner?
occurs whenever and wherever several wave crests or troughs concide
Mediteranean Sea
ocean crust between continents. thick salt deposits, remnants of Tethys Sea, underlain by oceanic crust
masses of ocean water that flow from one place to another (simply put - water masses in motion)
ocean currents
normal conditions in pacific
ocean currents travel west; air flows from high to low pressure (east to west)=upwelling off of west coast
__ havee absorbed the majority of increased heat in the atmosphere
oceans
Grunion
on west coast it utilizes the tides for procreation. Go up to beach during Spring tides to spawn.
What is constructive interference?
one crest overlaps the crest of another and amplitude increases
atmosphere and ocean act as...
one interdependent system
Ekman transport moves surface seawater ___ (downwelling) or ___ (upwelling)
onshore, offshore
How are the seasons in the Northern and Southern hemispheres related to each other?
opposite seasons
Fjord
origin of estuary. former glaciated valley now flooded with sea water
Coastal Plain
origin of estuary. former river valley now flooded with sea water
Bar-built
origin of estuary. lagoon separated from ocean by sand bar or barrier island
Ekman spiral and transport - The thin layer at the top of water moves and sets in motion the
other layers below it, making the wind energy go down through the water column
Destructive
out of phase wave trains with about same wavelengths
What is the defining characteristic of an estuary?
partially enclosed coastal body of water in which freshwater runoff dilutes salty ocean water. Most common: river mouth.
Albedo
percent of radiation reflected back into space, more at higher latitudes
DDT
pesticide carried in atmosphere. banned in U.S. in 1972 because of the decline in bird populations and the thinning of eggshells.
the surface connecting all points in Earth's orbit
plane of the ecliptic
The subtropical gyres ____
play a large role in climate
breakers that are high energy waves and form a tube or curl when they break are called?
plunging breakers
Zenith
point closest to moon
Nadir
point farthest from moon
_____ ________ ______ ______ is a global wind belt that moves away from the polar regions toward the polar front at about 60 degrees north or south latitude in each hemisphere
polar easterly wind belts
_________ _______ is the boundary at which air flowing away from the polar regions collides with the warmer air from the lower latitudes
polar front
maxium corriolis effect at the __
poles
there are high pressure & clear dry weather at the __
poles
oceanic hill
pressured pushed toward center and rises slightly
Polar easterlies
prevailing wind pattern at polar latitudes
westerlies
prevailing winds that blow from west to east between 30 degrees and 60 degrees latitude in both hemispheres
What is wave refraction?
process by which the part of a wave in shallow water is slowed down, causing wave to bend and align itself nearly parallel to the shore. Wave speed proportional to depth of water. Gradually erodes headlands, sediment accumulates in bays.
longitudinal waves
push-pull waves particles vibrate in the same direction & back again as the energy is traveling ex: sound
Internal Waves
pynocline. higher than surface waves caused by tides, turbidity currents, winds, ships seen at interfaces of low and high density water. higher amplitude and longer wavelength than surface waters, but also slower.
An indirect method of measuring ocean current is the use of
radar altimeters
Storm Surge
rapid rise of sea level that occurs as a hurricane approaches a coastline.
wave steepness
ratio of H to L
direct rays
rays or sunlight (insolation) that strike EArth at an angle 90 degrees, also called vertical rays
Deep Ocean Currents
result from changes in water density (due to temp and salt content)
in the northern hemisphere, an object will follow a path to the __ of its intended direction
right
In the North, the Coriolis effect causes an object to follow a path to the ___ of its intended direction, while in the Southern Hemisphere, and object will follow a path to the ___ of its intended direction (from THROWER'S perspective)
right, left
Capillary Waves
ripples, rounded crests, very small wavelengths
moist air is less dense, so it __
rises
Convection cells
rising and sinking air moving in a circular motion (hot air rises from a heater, moves toward cold window which makes the air cold and pushed down to the floor, making air go in a circle)
The ____-______ _____ of hurricane intensity further divided tropical cyclones into categories based on wind speed and damage
saffir simpson scale
indirect way of measuring surface currents; measures variations in sea surface height, and therefore slope, from which current speed can be calculated
satellite-based radar altimeters
Wind-induced surface currents are measured with ____.
satellites
Area where wind driven waves are generated is called the
sea
What si the area where wind driven waves are generated called?
sea
Air warmed by the land that rises and is replaced by cooler air from the ocean may produce a
sea breeze
rising air creates a low-pressure region over the land, pulling the cooler air over the ocean toward land, creating what is known as a __ __
sea breeze
since the heat capacity of land is less than the ocean, land and air above it warms up faster. The air rises, forming a low pressure region. Since the ocean is cooler than land, a high pressure is formed and the air is forced on-shore
sea breeze
Seismic/tsunami
sea floor movement
__ __ is ice tht forms directl from sea water
sea ice
__ __ or masses of frozen sea water forim in high latitude oceans
sea ice
Seismic sea waves/tsunamis
seafloor movement, such as turbidity currents, fault slippages, volcanic eruptions
what two things profoundly influence earth's climate?
seasonal changes in the angle of the sun & the length of day
Nile River Delta
sediment load not too large=longshore current can distribute the sediment smoothly
Bird foot Delta
sediment too large=longshore current can't smooth it fast enough
What makes a body of water a marginal sea?
semi-isolated section of the ocean with restricted circulation from main ocean.
N atlantic gyre
series of 4 interconnecting currents with different flow characteristics and temps
is a tsunami a deep or shallow water wave?
shallow
Lagoon
shallow water separated from ocean. bar built type of estuary freshwater zone (head), transition zone of brackish (middle), saltwater zone (mouth).
______ ___ is edges of glaciers from thick floating sheets of ice that break off and produce vast plate-like icebergs
shelf ice
How does the tilt of the Earth's axis affect the amount of daylight places receive?
short and simple: sun, higher arch, more sunlight vice versa
Wintertime beach
short, high waves erode berm and deposit sand on longshore bar. Berm=narrower beachface=less steep
the distance that a point on Earth has to travel in a day is ___ with increasing latitude; velocity ___ with latitude
shorter; decreases
transverse waves
side to side waves energy travels at right angles to the vibration of the particles
Progressive wavves
simple waves that travel w/out breaking longitudinal, transverse, or orbital
Records indicate that the ocean is warming faster in the Arctic polar regions than elsewhere. If that continues, a possible consequence could be
slowing of deep ocean circulation, resulting in lower oxygen levels in deep water
ocean weather systems develop more __ but last longer than atmospheric systems because of density
slowly
High latitudes sunlight hits earth at a
smaller angle (Flashlight shining close up)
What heats the surface of the earth and creates atmospheric winds?
solar energy
__ __ heats the surface of earth & creates atmospheric winds
solar energy
__ __ is mostly ultraviolet & is the visible region of electromagnetic spectrum
solar radiaton
Where do the sun's rays fall on the solstices and equinoxes?
solstices- tropics equinoxes- equator
The wind band between the horse latitudes and the doldrums is called the ____________ _____ ____ in the Southern Hemisphere. - The surface winds between the equator and 30 degrees south latitude.
southeast trade winds
in what zonal wind belts in what ocean regions are you most likely to find operating wave power generating stations?
southern Africa, Scotland, northern Canada, Australia and Alaska
when a wave "feels the bottom" this means what?
speed is decreasing
(Q9) ______ tides occur when the moon is _______. This means that the Earth-Moon-Sun are ______.
spring; syzygy; aligned
trade winds
steady winds that flow from east to west between 30°N latitude and 30°S latitude
Half way between a crest and a trough is the
still water level
half way btw crests & troughs is the?
still water level
atmospheric disturbances characterized by strong winds, precipitation, and often thunder and lightning
storms
Tidal Currents
strongest @ ebb & flow. Zero @ high and low tides.
__ regions experiences extensive precipitation due to the __ low. Sea ice covers. Ice bergs are common
subpolar
smaller and fewer than subtropical gyres that rotate opposite the adjacent subtropical gyres; produced by northern or southern boundary currents that flow eastward as a result of the prevailing westerlies, eventually moving into subpolar latitudes, there driven in a westerly direction by the polar easterlies
subpolar gyres
Sources of deep water in the ocean include all of the following except:
subtropical convergences
Western boundary currents form western boundary of
subtropical gyres
__ regions, belts of high pressure are centered here, so the dry descending air produces little precipitation & a high rate of evaporation, resulting in the highest surface salinities in the open ocean. Winds are weak & currents are sluggish. Strong boundary currents though
subtropical regions
Tsunami's form/come from
sudden change in bathymetry (motion of fault block; movement of the seafloor)
Tilted towards the sun
summer
The Sun reaches its most northerly point in the sky, directly overhead along the Tropic of Cancer, during the
summer solstice
How does the path of the sun across the sky changes with the seasons?
summer- higher arch, more daylight winter- lower arch, less daylight
Aphelion
sun farther from Earth. Northern Hemisphere experiencing Summer.
wind-driven currents that move horizontally and occur primarily in the ocean's surface waters
surface currents
provides a net transfer of heat from warmer to cooler areas
surface ocean currents
Convergent zones
surface waters are driven together by wind. Area of sinking or downwelling.
__ __ feed moisture (in the form of water vapor) into the storm
surface winds
Tropic storms are classified according to their maximum ___.
sustained wind speed
How do you get out of a rip current?
swim parallel to shore for a short distance and then ride waves in (perpendicular)
density stratification is most pronounced at _____
temperate and tropical latitudes
__ regions are characterized by stong westerly winds blowing from the sw in the n. hemisphere & from the nw in the s. hemisphere. Severe storms are common
temperate regions
__ has a dramatic effect on the density of air
temperature
__ rise preceded carbon dioxide in past cycles
temperature
earth maintains a nearly constant average __ because of the equal rates of heat gain & heat losses
temperature
rate of formation of sea ice depends on __
temperature
The two factors that are most important in determining the density of air are
temperature and water vapor content
Thermohaline circulation in the ocean is driven primarily by differences in __________ and __________ among water masses.
temperature; salinity
All are true of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current except:
the Antarctic Circumpolar Current contributes to the development of Antarctic bottom water in the WEDDELL Sea.
Tides vary during the monthly tidal cycle in that
the biggest tidal range occurs in this time(highest high tides and lowest low tides)
subtropical highs
the high pressure zones of descending air at 30º N and S
Which of the following are valid names of boundaries between global wind belts or at the poles?
the horse latitudes
how do we detect tsunamis and then warn coastal communities of the approaching wave?
the international; tsunami warning systems. they measure/record the vibrations of the crust to detect large earthquakes in the ocean and predict the occurrence of a tsunami
what is the " still water level" of an ocean wave?
the level of the sea surface if it was perfectly calm and flat
Still water line
the level of the sea surface if it were perfectly calm and flat
If you have two deep-water waves with periods of 5 and 10 seconds, what can you say about their speeds?
the longer period wave will have greater speed
Highly dense salty cold water pushes
the lower dense warm water up , to create a current
mountain breeze
the mountain slopes lose warmth rapidly through radiation, which chills adjacent air, causing it to slip downslope.
zenith
the point above the observer that is directly opposite the nadir on the imaginary sphere against which celestial bodies appear to be projected
Of the following characteristics or features, which is/are associated with middle latitude storms, such as those that originate in the North Pacific Ocean between 40 and 60 degrees latitude?
the prevailing westerlies
The El Niño Southern Oscillation can best be described as:
the relationship between sea surface temperature and changing atmospheric pressure
what powers tropical storms?
the release of vast amounts of waters latent heat of condensation
Earth's axis always points in ___ direction
the same
What is the Southern Oscillation?
the swapping of high and low pressure zones in the South Pacific under El Niño conditions
The tide is sweeping across the ocean toward land. The continental shelf is significantly wider at one location than another farther down the coast. What will happen to the tide at the location where the shelf is wider?
the tide will be retarded. (tide is a shallow water wave)
If the Moon had an iron core, what would happen to lunar tides?
the tides would become larger because the moon would be more massive. (increased gravitational pull between Moon and water on Earth)
The sun heats the Earth unevenly due to ___.
the tilt of Earth's rotational axis
give an example of how a wave power generating system operates
the water column is put into water. the water level within increases and decreases with waves coming in. the generator converts this mechanical
. When the steepness reaches the 1:7 ratio, (really high)
the wave breaks as surf.
Three- cell circulation mode: Ferrel Cell
the westerly circulation of surface winds (prevailing westerlies) between 30-60 latitude
The Ekman spiral is caused by:
the wind and the Coriolis effect.
Shore
the zone that lies between the low tide line and the highest area on land affected by storm waves
what are two main factors that contribute to this global rise in sea level?
thermal expansion of ocean water as it warms, & an increase in the amount of water in the ocean from melting of ice on land
slow moving currents caused by density differences in deep water below the pycnocline; influences about 90% of all ocean water
thermohaline circulation
Local Isostatic Adjustment
those coastlines covered by glaciers in last ice age and which now are ice free often have sea level lowering (still in process) Hudson Bay (eventually dry) Coast of Norway Gulf of Bosnia
perigee & perihelion.
tidal range highest. more gravitational pull.
Aphelion & apogee
tidal range lowest. less gravitational pull.
Tidal Bore
tide builds on top of river. Crest grows bigger. True Tidal Waves. Exist only in rivers where tidal range is large (bar @ mouth helps)
Amphidromic Point
tides rotate around.
___ is responsible for seasons
tilt
__ is responsible for seasons
tilt of earth
Wave period
time between passing crests: inverse of frequency
Wave Period (T)
time it takes for one complete wave (wavelength) to pass a fixed position
In the southern hemisphere, the direction of Ekman transport is always:
to the left of the wind direction.
air comes towards the low pressure area at the equator and from there alternates between
towards and away from the equator
Prevailing winds that blow northeast from 30 degrees north latitude to the equator and that blow southeast from 30 degrees south latitude to the equator are called ______ _____.
trade winds
Equatorial currents are driven by the:
trade winds.
How can tidal power be harnessed?
trapping water behind coastal barriers in bays and estuaries AND allowing tidal currents to pass through narrow channels to turn turbines
How can tidal power be harnessed?
trapping water behind coastal barriers in bays and estuaries and allowing tidal currents to pass through narrow channels to turn turbines
All of the following are types of tidal patterns except:
triurnal tidal patterns tidal patterns are: diurnal, semidiurnal and mixed tidal patterns
(Q9) All of the following are types of tidal patterns except _________.
triurnal tidal patterns (so diurnal, semidiurnal, and mixed tidal are types of tidal patterns
If winds> 120 km/h (74mph) the storm is called a ________ ________.
tropical cyclone
_ _ are huge rotating masses of low pressure characterized by strong winds & torrential rain
tropical cyclones
_ __ are the largest storm systems on earth, & they are not associated with fronts
tropical cyclones
__ __ are classified by maximum sustained wind speed
tropical cyclones
a __ __ begins as a low pressured cell that breaks away from the equatorial low pressure belt & grows as it picks up heat energy
tropical cyclones
What are the largest storm systems on Earth?
tropical cyclones (hurricanes)
huge rotating masses of low pressure characterized by strong winds and torrential rain; classified by the maximum sustained wind speed
tropical cyclones (hurricanes)
If Winds< 61 km/h (38mph) the storm is called a _________ ___________
tropical depression
surface currents distribute _________
tropical heat; warm water flows to higher latitudes, transfers heat to air and cools, moves back to low lats, and absorbs heat again
__ regions are characterized by strong trade winds, creating moderately rough seas
tropical regions
If winds are between 61 and 120 km/h (38mph and 74mph) the storm is called a _______ _______.
tropical storm
the boundary between the troposphere and stratosphere
tropopause
(*Q6*) Atmospheric temperature reaches a minimum in the ________.
tropopause, the layer between the troposphere and the stratosphere
The lowermost portion of the atmosphere where most weather occurs is called the
troposphere
the lowermost portion of the atmosphere; is where all weather is produced; temperature cools with increasing altitude
troposphere
within the __, temperature gets cooler with altitude to the point that at high latitudes, the air temperature is well below freezing
troposphere
the trough is what part of an ocean? what is the crest?
trough-lowest part of wave crest- highest point of wave
T/F: The Coriolis effect describes how moving objects on Earth appear to follow curved paths due to Earth's rotation
true
T/F: The angle at which direct sunlight strikes the ocean's surface is important in determining the amount of solar energy that is absorbed
true
T/F: The large atmospheric circulation cells that occur between the equator and 30° latitude in each hemisphere are called Hadley cells
true
T/F:The Saffir-Simpson scale rates the relative intensity of tropical cyclones
true
The ekman spiral causes current speed to decrease with depth (true or false)
true
eddies
turbulent rings that trap cold or warm water in their centers and then separate from the main flow
Jetty
type of hard stabilization. also perpendicular. purpose=to protect harbor entrances from waves and only secondarily does it trap sand. (causes more upcoast deposition and downcoast erosion)
Groin
type of hard stabilization. built perpendicular to a coastline and are specifically designed to trap sand moving along the coast in longshore transport (rip rap, upcoast slide)
Seawalls
type of hard stabilization. most destructive type. Purpose=armor the coastline and protect landward developments from ocean waves. sediment is eroded on a seaward side, may eventually collapse! (Wave reflection off of the wall). Erosion at base accelerates.
Breakwater
type of hard stabilization. parallel to shoreline. provide safe anchorage to ships. interrupts river of sand (sandbar) dredging to unclog. (Santa Barbara, California)
in the wester n. pacific ocean, tropical cyclones are called __
typhoons
Swell
uniform, symmetrical waves that travel outward from storm area; long crests; energy transports long distances.
upwelling
upward movement of water; deep, cold, nutrient-laden water comes to surface; water moves away from coast
Surface waters are pushed away from land and replaced by nutrient rich bottom water through
upwelling
A zone of surface divergence is an area of ____ and ____ biological productivity
upwelling; high
What is bioremediation?
using organisms to help clean up or remove environmental pollutants
What is wave reflection?
vertical barrier (seawall or rock ledge) reflects waves back into the ocean with little loss of energy. (mirror reflecting back light). reflected at an angle=to angle at which wave approached the barrier. The WEDGE (energy of 2 waves).
__ air is less dense, so it rises
warm
__ air can hold more water vapor because the air molecules are moving more quickly & come into contact with more water vapor
warm air
Chinooks Winds (foehn winds)
warm dry winds that sometimes move down slopes of mountains -Can bring on drastic changes in temperature -Melt snow cover rapidly
the contact between a warm air mass moving into an area occupied by cold air
warm fromt
a __ __ is the contact between a warm air mass moving into an area occupied by cold air
warm front
ESNO conditions in Pacific
warm water moves east
warm water trapped in an eddy that rotates clockwise; contains shallow, bowl-shaped masses of warm water; removes large volumes of water as they disconnect from the Gulf Stream
warm-core rings
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 of the above statements are true of western boundary currents.
Shoaling Water
water becoming gradually more shallow (when deep water waves encounter shoaling water less than 1/2 their wavelengths, they become transitional waves)
what 2 factors control if a wave is a deep water wave or a shallow water wave?
water depth & wavelength
geostrophic current
water flow driven by gravity and modified by the Coriolis force
surface currents
water flowing horizontally in the uppermost 400 m of ocean's surface, driven by wind friction
Dynamic Theory of Tides
water moves in long waves, tides follow moon and try to keep up with gravitational pull but since they are shallow water they are not keeping up.
equatorial upwelling
water moving in currents on either side of equator is deflected slightly poleward and is replaced by deeper water; westward flowing equatorial surface currents
__ __ also influences the density of air
water vapor
Water vapor decrease the density of air as
water vapor has a lower density than dry air (think humidity - occurs in warm air - warm air is less dense than cool air)
Downwelling
waters converge and sink. This transports oxygen-rich water to the depths
the diameter of an orbiting parcel of water at the sea surface of the ocean, is equivalent to what wave feature?
wave base
Wave Speed
wave length/wave period
the time lapsed between 2 successive waves passing a given point is called what?
wave period
orthogonal lines
wave rays, indicate direction that wave travels
waves converge on headlands and disperse in embayments due to what ocean wave phenomenon
wave refraction
the ratio of the wave height (h) to wavelength (L) is called what?
wave steepness
Breakers in surf zone
wave topples over base because of decrease in wave speed due to friction with sea floor. wave form not sustained
the change in _ from visible to infrared is key to understanding how the greenouse effect works
wavelenght
__ describes the conditions of the atmosphere at a given time & place
weather
describes the conditions of the atmosphere at a given time and place
weather
Local Emerging Shoreline
west coast of U.S. vertical uplift of shoreward plate
Westerlies
west-east, mid-latitudes ; follow wavey long length wave-lengths : Rossby Waves - these waves tend to remain stationary or drift from west-east
Jet Streams
westerlies become stronger with an increase in altitude and reach max speeds of 10-12 km above earths surface -region of fast moving air. Polar jet stream: midlatitude Subtropical 25 latitude - fast core of the overall westerly flow - Embedded in westerlies - Widths vary from less than 100 km to more than 500 km. - Speeds can attain 100- 400 kmph. - Polar and subtropical The polar jet stream is the most prevalent. - It occurs along a major frontal zone, the polar front. - The jet stream moves faster in winter. - During the winter, occasionally it moves north-south. • The subtropical jet stream is a semipermanent jet stream over the subtropics. - It is a west-to-east current, centered at 25° N and S. - It is mainly a winter phenomenon. - The subtropical jet stream is slower than the polar.
Prevailing westerlies
westerly surface winds in middle latitudes (become stronger with increase in latitude) (west to east)
The temperate regions are characterized by
westerly winds
______ winds drive eastern flowing currents of _____
westerly; mid-latitudes
Warm core rings and cold core rings are associated with
western boundary currents
phenomenon of western boundary currents of gyres being stronger, faster and narrower than the other side
western intensification
When do deep-water waves occur?
when water depth is greater than the wave base
Describe circular orbital motion.
when water passes energy along by moving in a circle. The water itself only moves in a circle.
constructive interference
when waves have the same wavelength come together in a phase, with peaks matching peaks
Strong upwelling occurs in all of the following except:
where deep ocean water currents are formed.
what is meant by a "density interface" in terms of ocean waves?
where internal waves occur that are 2 separate water densitys
eastern flowing currents are ____ and flow _______ than equatorial counterparts
wider; more slowly
Surface currents mov horizontally and are set in motion by
wind
__ drives surface ocean currents & waves
wind
Coastal Geostrophic Currents
wind & runoff piled up surface water affected by Coriolis affect and friction flow parallel to coast (Davidson Current)
What causes waves
wind blowing across the surface of the ocean, also movement of fluids w/ diff densities
capillary waves
wind blowing over sea surface creates pressure and stress, resulting in small rounded waves with v- shaped troughs
Types of shallow water waves
wind generated waves that have moved to shore, tsunami generated by earthquakes and tide waves.
wind speed control
wind moves along isobars, closely spaced isobars have higher wind speeds.
Factors that control wave energy?
wind speed wind duration fetch (distance over which wind blows)
factors affecting wave energy
wind speed, duration, fetch, wave height
the height adn energy of a wind generated wave depends upon what 3 factors
wind speed, length of time wind blows in 1 direction and fetch
wind-induced vertical circulation
wind-driven horizontal movement of water can sometimes induce vertical movement in surface water
Surface ocean currents are driven primarily by ________ and modified by ________.
wind; the Coriolis effect and land
__ are due to the flow of air from high pressure cells to low pressure cells
winds
___ are due to the flow of air from H-cells to L-cells
winds
___ drive surface ocean currents and waves
winds
Tilted away from the sun
winter
has carbon dioxide risen?
yes
(Q9) The Moon attracts the oceans of the Earth due to gravity. The greatest gravitational attraction between the Earth and the Moon is at Earth's _____.
zenith
Longshore current generally flows in which direction along the coasts of the US?
zigzag movement (caused by refracting waves) Southward along Atlantic & Pacific
Surf zone
zone of breaking waves along the margins of continents
surf zone
zone of breaking waves along the margins of the continents
