OCE Ch 7
Of the following statements about the Ekman spiral and Ekman transport, which is/are true? Choose all that apply. - Ekman transport is to the right of the wind direction in the Northern Hemisphere. - In the deeper layers of the Ekman spiral, water can move in a direction opposite of the wind direction. - Ekman transport results in converging surface currents along the equator. - Ekman transport can result in both upwelling and downwelling. - Ekman transport is the driving force for thermohaline flow. - The Coriolis effect causes surface waters to move at an angle relative to the wind direction.
- Ekman transport is to the right of the wind direction in the Northern Hemisphere. - In the deeper layers of the Ekman spiral, water can move in a direction opposite of the wind direction. - Ekman transport can result in both upwelling and downwelling. - The Coriolis effect causes surface waters to move at an angle relative to the wind direction.
Of the following gyres, which one(s) flow in a counterclockwise direction? Choose all that apply. - South Pacific Subtropical Gyre - South Atlantic Subtropical Gyre - Indian Ocean Subtropical Gyre - Northern Hemisphere Subpolar Gyres - North Pacific Subtropical Gyre - North Atlantic Subtropical Gyre
- South Pacific Subtropical Gyre - South Atlantic Subtropical Gyre - Indian Ocean Subtropical Gyre - Northern Hemisphere Subpolar Gyres
Of the following locations, where would upwelling be expected to occur? Choose all that apply. - In areas of converging surface currents - Where seamounts or tablemounts are present - In regions with a well-developed pycnocline - Where there is a sharp bend in a coastline - In areas of diverging surface currents
- Where seamounts or tablemounts are present - Where there is a sharp bend in a coastline - In areas of diverging surface currents
To produce a surface current of 1.6 knots in the open ocean, a steady wind of _____ knots would be required. 40 50 60 100 80
80
Which of the following methods are used to measure ocean surface currents directly? Doppler flow meters Accidental spills from container ships Pressure gradients Radar altimeters Anchored buoys
Accidental spills from container ships
Compared to an eastern boundary current in a gyre, which of the following statements is true for a western boundary current? narrower current warmer water increased current velocity deeper current All the above statements are true of western boundary currents.
All the above statements are true of western boundary currents
Which of the following is the only current that completely circumscribes Earth? Antarctic Circumpolar Malvinas South Equatorial Benguela South Australian
Antarctic circumpolar
Of the following surface currents, which one(s) transport large volumes of warm water to higher latitudes? Choose all that apply. Brazil Current the Gulf Stream North Pacific Current Kuroshio Current Canary Current Peru Current
Brazil Current the Gulf stream Kuroshio Current
Downwelling can result from __________. - strong offshore winds - diverging surface currents - Ekman transport away from a coast - converging surface currents - an ocean current flowing over submerged banks or seamounts
Converging surface currents
The Benguela Current is an example of which of the following types of currents? Eastern Boundary Current Equatorial Counter Current Northern Boundary Current Southern Boundary Current Western Boundary Current
Eastern Boundary Current
The California Current is an example of which of the following types of currents? Eastern Boundary Current Equatorial Counter Current Northern Boundary Current Southern Boundary Current Western Boundary Current
Eastern Boundary Current
Coastal winds can cause upwelling or downwelling due to which of the following? Equatorial upwelling Eastern intensification Ekman transport Geostrophic current Western intensification
Ekman transport
The observation that ships and icebergs in the southern hemisphere float to the left of the wind direction is an example of which of the following? Western intensification Ekman transport Eastern intensification Geostrophic current Equatorial upwelling
Ekman transport
Which of the following methods are used to measure deep ocean currents directly? Radar altimeters Radio-transmitting float bottles Accidental spills from container ships Propeller flow meters Free-drifting Argo floats
Free-drifting Argo floats
Which of the following currents contributes to the South Eastern United States being humid? Brazil Current California Current North Atlantic Current Gulf Stream North Equatorial Current
Gulf stream
Which of the following currents is responsible for Peru becoming the largest producer of fish, from the sea, in the world? Canary Current Humboldt Current Brazil Current Falkland Current Somali Current
Humboldt Current
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 El Niño conditions. It is the path that air takes as it moves from high to low pressure, and back to high pressure, in the South Atlantic under normal conditions. It is the path that air takes as it moves from high to low pressure, and back to high pressure, in the North Pacific under normal conditions. 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. It is the path that air takes as it moves from high to low pressure, and back to high pressure, in the South Atlantic under El Niño conditions.
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.
Which of the following methods are used to measure ocean surface currents indirectly? - Free-drifting Argo floats - Propeller flow meters - Pressure gradients - Accidental spills from container ships - Radio-transmitting float bottles
Pressure gradients
Which of the following methods are used to measure ocean surface currents directly? Anchored buoys Pressure gradients Radar altimeters Doppler flow meters Radio-transmitting float bottles
Radio-transmitting float bottles
Records indicate that the ocean is warming faster in the Arctic polar regions than elsewhere. If that continues, a possible consequence could be __________. - increased albedo in the polar areas, resulting in the cooling of nearby landmasses - acceleration of deep ocean circulation, resulting in lower carbon dioxide levels in deep water - an increase in upwelling in the Arctic, resulting in increased surface biological productivity - decreased humidity and precipitation in the Arctic region, resulting in aridity and the loss of boreal forests - slowing of deep ocean circulation, resulting in lower oxygen levels in deep water
Slowing of deep ocean circulation, resulting in lower oxygen levels in deep water
Between summer and winter, which of the following currents reverses its flow direction? Somali Current Florida Current Falkland Current Brazil Current California Current
Somali Current
Which of the following Atlantic Subtropical gyre boundary currents is split into two by a large landmass? Canary Current South Equatorial Current North Atlantic Current Benguela Current Brazil Current
South Equatorial Current
The observation of a hill of water within all subtropical gyres is an example of which of the following? Equatorial upwelling Eastern intensification Western intensification Subtropical convergence Geostrophic current
Subtropical convergence
Which of the following statements is true of surface ocean currents? - Surface currents concentrate warm water in the center of the gyre at mid latitudes. - Surface currents transport cold water toward the poles. - Surface currents transport warm water toward the equator. - Surface currents occur within and below the pycnocline. - Surface currents form circular patterns in the major ocean basins called "gyres."
Surface currents form circular patterns in the major ocean basins called "gyres"
Judge the following sentence according to the criteria given below: India's Southwest Monsoon provides abundant precipitation BECAUSE the air brought in from the Indian Ocean is warm and full of moisture. - The assertion and the reason are both correct, and the reason is valid. - The assertion and the reason are both correct, but the reason is invalid. - The assertion is correct, but the reason is incorrect. - The assertion is incorrect, but the reason is correct. - Both the assertion and the reason are incorrect.
The assertion and the reason are both correct, and the reason is valid
Judge the following sentence according to the criteria given below: The Equatorial Countercurrent is much better developed in the Pacific Ocean than in the Atlantic BECAUSE the Pacific Ocean basin is larger and more unobstructed than the Atlantic Ocean. - The assertion and the reason are both correct, and the reason is valid. - The assertion and the reason are both correct, but the reason is invalid. - The assertion is correct, but the reason is incorrect. - The assertion is incorrect, but the reason is correct. - Both the assertion and the reason are incorrect.
The assertion and the reason are both correct, and the reason is valid
Judge the following sentence according to the criteria given below: The temperatures across the Atlantic at different latitudes are much higher in Europe than in North America BECAUSE of the effects of heat transfer from the Gulf Stream. - The assertion and the reason are both correct, and the reason is valid. - The assertion and the reason are both correct, but the reason is invalid. - The assertion is correct but the reason is incorrect. - The assertion is incorrect but the reason is correct. - Both the assertion and the reason are incorrect.
The assertion and the reason are both correct, and the reason is valid
About what percent of the wind's energy is transferred to the ocean surface? Ten Fifty Twenty Two Five
Two
The Brazil Current is an example of which of the following types of currents? Eastern Boundary Current Equatorial Counter Current Northern Boundary Current Southern Boundary Current Western Boundary Current
Western Boundary Current
The Kuroshio (Japan) Current is an example of which of the following types of currents? Eastern Boundary Current Equatorial Counter Current Northern Boundary Current Southern Boundary Current Western Boundary Current
Western Boundary Current
The thermocline is _________________. a steep temperature gradient in the ocean that separates deeper cold water from warmer upper water a steep gradient in the ocean that separates deeper less salty water from saltier upper water. a steep temperature gradient in the ocean that separates deeper warm water from colder upper water a steep gradient in the ocean that separates deeper saltier water from less salty upper water
a steep temperature gradient in the ocean that separates deeper cold water from warmer upper water
Western intensification causes: - very swift western boundary currents. - a steeper slope of surface water in the western section of the gyre as compared to the eastern section of the gyre. - the center of the gyre to be shift to the west. - a large volume of water to flow within western boundary currents. - All the above effects are the result of western intensification.
all the above effects are the result of western intensification
Surface ocean currents ___. CHOOSE ALL THAT APPLY. transfer large amounts of heat from the high latitudes toward the equator are influenced by Coriolis effect form large rotating gyres in the major ocean basins are driven by winds
are influenced by Coriolis effect form large rotating gyres in the major ocean basins are driven by winds
An increase in seawater density can be caused by a ________ in temperature or a/an ________ in salinity. decrease; decrease decrease; increase increase; decrease increase; increase
decrease; increase
Thermohaline circulation is driven by: density differences. wind. longitude. latitude. the Coriolis effect.
density differences
Which force(s) drive(s) water circulation in the deep ocean? Choose all that apply. wind differences in water pH differences in water salinity differences in water density differences in water temperature
differences in water salinity, differences in density, differences in water temperature
Converging surface waters are areas of ________ and ________ productivity. downwelling; low upwelling; low downwelling; high upwelling; high
downwelling; low
Ocean frontal systems that spin off from currents such as the Gulf Stream, akin to atmospheric storms, are known as __________. meanders geostrophic flow eddies
eddies
During winter months, monsoon winds over the Indian Ocean: - the direction of airflow is unchanged but precipitation increases. - flow from land to sea and are dry. - flow from land to sea and are wet. - flow from sea to land and are wet. - flow from sea to land and are dry.
flow from land to sea and are dry
Which of the following two factors cause geostrophic circulation within a gyre? the wind and pressure. temperature and pressure. gravity and the Coriolis effect. density and the wind. salinity and gravity.
gravity and the Coriolis effect
Fluctuations in the flow of the Gulf Stream current result in curving loops of water known as __________. eddies meanders fronts
meanders
Ocean surface currents transfer about ________ of the total amount of heat from the tropics to the poles. one-fourth one-third three-fourths one-half two-thirds
one-third
Coastal upwelling along the coast of Chile is a result of winds from the ________ turning towards the ________ due to Ekman transport. north; right north; left south; right south; left
south; left
The El Niño Southern Oscillation can best be described as: - relative changes between two different atmospheric pressure systems at high altitude. - the relationship between sea surface temperature and changing atmospheric pressure. - variation in wind speed over the Pacific Ocean. - tidal differences between coastal Peru and Darwin, Australia. - wind speed and wind direction differences along the equator.
the relationship between sea surface temperature and changing atmospheric pressure
The Ekman spiral is caused by: the wind and the Coriolis effect. pressure gradients. the pycnocline. the wind and gravity. density differences in the water column.
the wind and the Coriolis effect
Deep ocean current movement is also known as __________. Walker circulation Ekman transport the Antarctic Divergence thermohaline flow equatorial downwelling
thermohaline flow
In the southern hemisphere, the direction of Ekman transport is always: to the left of the wind direction. to the east of the wind direction. perpendicular to the wind direction. to the right of the wind direction. at a 45° angle from the wind direction.
to the left of the wind direction
Equatorial currents are driven by the: Ekman transport. trade winds. Coriolis force. density. westerlies.
trade winds
Surface waters are pushed away from land and replaced by nutrient-rich bottom water through: sea breezes. convergence. upwelling. downwelling. land breezes.
upwelling
Warm core rings and cold core rings are associated with __________. contour currents equatorial countercurrents tropical cyclones eastern boundary currents western boundary currents
western boundary currents