Oceanography Ch. 7 Reading Quiz

Which swift-flowing surface current in a major subtropical gyre transports a large volume of warm water from the equator towards mid latitudes?

Kuroshio Current

Of the following surface currents, which one(s) flow from south to north?

Kuroshio Current Peru Current the Gulf Stream

The Gulf Stream transports warm water into the __________.

North Atlantic

The deepest and most dense water mass in the world ocean is formed in the ____________.

Southern Ocean

Organize the following stages of the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) warm phase into chronological order. In a severe warm phase, fisheries productivity on the west coasts of the Americas is dramatically reduced. Which stage of ENSO would come just before this fisheries collapse?

The thermocline deepens in eastern boundary currents of the Pacific Ocean subtropical gyres.

Deep ocean currents ___________.

result from changes in water density (due to temperature and salt content)

Warm core rings and cold core rings are associated with __________.

western boundary currents

The actual movement of surface water due to Ekman transport in the Northern Hemisphere is about __________.

45° to the right of wind direction

Of the following currents, which ones are parts of the South Atlantic Subtropical Gyre?

Benguela Current West Wind Drift South Equatorial Current Brazil Current

Of the following statements about deep-ocean currents, which is/are true?

Deep-ocean currents are important regulators of global climate. Deep-ocean circulation is often referred to as thermohaline flow. The volume of water involved in the downward movement of deep-ocean currents is equal to the flow of 100 Amazon-sized rivers. Deep-ocean currents are initiated by downwelling of cold, dense water near Antarctica and in the North Atlantic Ocean. Deep-ocean currents contain water that is high in oxygen.

Of the following locations, where would upwelling be expected to occur?

In areas of offshore winds Where there is a shallowly submerged sea floor obstruction, such as a tablemount Where there is a sharp bend in a coastline In areas of diverging surface currents, such as along the equator

Of the following surface currents, which one(s) flow generally from west to east?

West Wind Drift North Pacific Current Equatorial Counter Current

Of the following statements about Ekman spiral and Ekman transport, which is/are true?

Within the Ekman spiral, deeper water can move in a direction exactly opposite of the wind direction. Ekman transport is to the right of the wind direction in the Northern Hemisphere. Connecting the arrows of water movement from the surface into deeper waters shows the spiral pattern. The two factors that affect the Ekman spiral are the wind direction and the Coriolis effect. Because of the Coriolis effect, surface waters move at an angle to the wind direction.

During a strong El Niño event, the news media might be expected to cover __________.

a tropical cyclone in Hawaii or Tahiti

Deep ocean current movement is also known as __________.

thermohaline flow

To produce a surface current of 1.6 knots in the open ocean, a steady wind of _____ knots would be required.

80

The West Wind Drift (Antarctic Circumpolar Current) is a part of which of the following subtropical gyres?

Indian Ocean Subtropical Gyre South Pacific Subtropical Gyre South Atlantic Subtropical Gyre

Warm ocean currents _________.

are warmer than the surrounding water

Cool ocean currents _________.

generally flow from high latitudes towards the equator

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

meanders

In comparison to wind energy, ocean currents can generate more clean, renewable energy because

the density of water is greater than that of air

Indian Ocean currents that are generated by seasonal changes in weather patterns are the__________ and __________ Currents.

Somali/Southwest Monsoon

Of the following gyres, which one(s) flow in a counterclockwise direction?

South Pacific Subtropical Gyre South Atlantic Subtropical Gyre Northern Hemisphere Subpolar Gyres Indian Ocean Subtropical Gyre

Surface ocean currents _______.

are driven by winds form large rotating gyres in the major ocean basins are influenced by Coriolis effect

Downwelling can result from __________.

converging surface currents

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

Gulf Stream

Of the following conditions, which is/are related to strong El Niño events?

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

Of the following statements about subtropical gyres, which is/are true?

The western boundary current of all subtropical gyres is intensified (it is fast, narrow, and deep) The rotation of each subtropical gyre causes a "hill" of water to pile up within it. The centers of all subtropical gyres are associated with high atmospheric pressure. There are four main surface currents in each subtropical gyre. Globally, there are five subtropical gyres.

The largest of the great ocean surface currents is the __________.

West Wind Drift

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

Equatorial currents that are part of the subtropical gyres flow ________. Equatorial counter currents between the gyres flow_________ .

east to west; west to east

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

eddies

Which ocean condition(s) would result in downwelling?

onshore Ekman transport

The subtropical gyres __________.

play a large role in climate

An indirect method of measuring ocean current is the use of _________.

radar altimeters

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