oceanography chapter 7

which of the following currents contributes to the south western United states being arid?

California current

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

which of the following is the only current that completely circumscribes earth?

Antarctic circumpolar

which of the following currents contributes to the south eastern United States being humid?

Gulf stream

western intensification causes____

all of the choices are the result of western intensification

Compared to Antarctic Bottom Water, North Atlantic Deep Water is:

higher in salinity

coastal upwelling along the coast of Chile is a result of winds from the _____ turning towards the ______ due to Ekman Transport

south; left

the ekman spiral is caused by___

the wind and the Coriolis effect.

Surface waters are pushed away from land and replaced by nutrient-rich bottom water through:

upwelling

Coastal winds can cause upwelling or downwelling due to which of the following?

Ekman transport

Compared to western boundary currents, eastern boundary currents are:

broad and slow

An increase in seawater density can be caused by a ________ in temperature or a/an ________ in salinity.

decrease; increase

Compared to an eastern boundary current in a gyre, which of the following statements is true for a western boundary current?

deeper currents, increased current velocity, warmer water, and narrower currents are all true for a western boundary currents

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

the California current is an example of which of the following type of current?

eastern boundary current

durning winter months, monsoon winds over the Indian ocean___

flow from sea to land are dry

Which type of current flow moves in a circular path around a subtropical convergence, reflecting Ekman transport, gravity, and the Coriolis effect?

geostrophic circulation

Geostrophic circulation is within a gyre driven by:

gravity and Coriolis effect

Deep-water currents move ________ volumes of water and are much ________ than surface currents.

larger; slower

which of the following is not a source of deep water in the ocean?

subtropical convergences

which of the following statements is true of surface ocean currents

surface currents from circular patterns in the major ocean basins called "gyres"

the El Nino Southern oscillation can best be described as____.

the relationship between sea surface temperature and changing atmospheric pressure

in the southern hemisphere, the direction of Ekman transport is always _____.

to the left of the wind direction

Warm currents flowing ________ on the ________ sides of continents produce warm, humid conditions.

toward the equator; eastern

Cold currents flowing ________ on the ________ sides of continents produce arid conditions.

toward the equator; western

Equatorial currents are driven by the____

trade winds

which of the following is true of surface water circulation near Antarctica

two circumpolar currents dominate it, one current that moves water to the east and one current that moves water to the west

Diverging surface waters are areas of ________ and ________ productivity.

upwelling; high

the gulf stream is an example of which of the following types of currents?

western boundary current

Surface ocean currents are driven primarily by ________ and modified by ________.

wind; the Coriolis effect and land