Ocean Circulation
false-color map of sea surface temperatures
El Nino Conditions
Coastal winds can cause upwelling or downwelling due to:
Ekman transport
Only current that completely circumscribes Earth
Antarctic Circumpolar
Two circumpolar currents dominate, one current moves water to east and one current moves water to west
Antarctic water circulation
An Eastern Boundary Current
California Current
moves in circular path around a subtropical convergence, reflecting Ekman transport, gravity and the Corioles effect
Geostrophic circulation
A Western Boundary Current
Gulf Stream
coastal upwelling along the coast of Chile is a result of winds from the _____ turning towards the _____ due to Ekman transport
North; right
Deeper, increased velocity, warmer water, narrower
Western Boundary Current
compared to western boundary currents, eastern boundary currents are _____
broad and slow
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
an increase in seawater density can be caused by a _____ in temperature or a/an _____ In salinity
decrease; increase
thermohaline circulation is driven by
density differences
deep ocean currents are driven primarily by _____ and caused by _____
density differences; differences in salinity and temperature
converging surface waters are areas of _____ and _____ productivity
downwelling; low
during winter months, monsoon winds over the Indian Ocean _____
flow from land to sea and are dry
geotropic circulation within a gyre is driven by _____
gravity and the Coriolis effect
compared to Antarctic Bottom Water, North Atlantic deep water is _____
higher in salinity
deep water currents move _____ volumes of water and are much _____ than surface currents
larger; faster
warm currents flowing _____ on the _____ sides of continents produce warm, humid conditions
poleward; eastern
South Western U.S arid due to:
the California current
South Eastern U.S is humid due to:
the Gulf Stream
not a source of deep water in the ocean
subtropical convergences
the El Nino Southern Oscillation can best be described as:
the relationship between sea surface temperature and changing atmospheric pressure
the Ekman spiral is caused by:
the wind and Coriolis effect
in the Southern Hemisphere, the direction of Ekman transport is always _____
to the left of the wind direction
cold currents flowing _____ on the _____ sides of continents produce arid conditions
toward the equator; western
equatorial currents are driven by the _____
trade winds
surface currents form circular patterns in the major ocean basins called "gyres".
true
Surface waters are are pushed away from land and replaced by nutrient-rich deep water through ____
upwelling
diverging surface waters are areas of _____ and _____ productivity
upwelling; high
surface ocean currents are driven primarily by _____ and modified by _____
wind; the Coriolis effect and land