Air-Sea Interaction OCE1001
The Trade Winds are one type of prevailing wind pattern. How many other types of prevailing winds are there among earth's global wind patterns??
2
In the eastern Pacific of the Northern Hemisphere, which ocean temperatures are associated with the most hurricanes?
27° to 29° Celsius
Why does wind between the equator and 30 degrees south come out of the southeast?
Cooled air moves north toward the equator and is deflected toward the west by the Coriolis effect.
When would you expect the low-pressure cell over the North Pole to be most developed?
During the Northern Hemisphere winter
Which direction do ocean currents in the South Pacific move under El Niño conditions?
Eastward
Why does air tend to rise in equatorial regions?
Equatorial regions receive more direct sunlight than other areas.
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 term is used to describe the effect on air movement produced by Earth's rotation?
The Coriolis Effect
How does the location of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) change over time?
The ITCZ migrates south of the equator in Northern Hemisphere winter and north of the equator in Northern Hemisphere summer.
What is the air that sinks at latitudes of 30 degrees north and south like?
The air is cool and dry.
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.
Which of the following statements best describes the general relationship between ocean currents and hurricanes?
Warm ocean currents and hurricane paths both broadly move from east to west between 10° and 20° degrees north latitude in the eastern Pacific.
In which direction would winds move at the poles if Earth rotated in the opposite direction?
Wind near the north pole would move to the northeast, and the wind near the south pole would move to the southeast.
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.
The thermocline is _________________.
a steep temperature gradient in the ocean that separates deeper cold water from warmer upper water
What older household item is used in this video to demonstrate the Coriolis effect?
a turntable (record player)
Which of the following associations between hurricanes—also known as typhoons and cyclones—and wind direction is most accurate?
an east-to-west movement of hurricanes and easterly winds in the western Atlantic between 10° and 20° degrees north latitude
Which areas of Earth experience the most precipitation?
areas near the ITCZ
Which of the following temperature and humidity conditions are most likely to be experienced in eastern Iowa after the cold front passes?
cold and dry
What drives Hadley cell circulation?
heating from the Sun
Where are Hadley cells found?
in the atmosphere near the equator
What is the overall effect of the stronger than normal trade winds typical of La Niña conditions?
lowering of the South Pacific ocean temperature from normal conditions
Even though it's on the same spinning planet, the Coriolis effect influences moving objects and diverts them to the _____ of their intended direction in the Northern Hemisphere and to the _____ of their intended direction in the Southern Hemisphere.
right; left
Which way would wind travel in the region between 30 and 60 degrees latitude if Earth stopped rotating?
south in the Southern Hemisphere and north in the Northern Hemisphere
What two features are many of Earth's deserts associated with?
the subtropical highs and cool ocean currents found along the west coasts of continents
What is the Southern Oscillation?
the swapping of high and low pressure zones in the South Pacific under El Niño conditions
Under which conditions are droughts and wildfires common in Australia?
under La Niña conditions
The Coriolis effect is _____ at the equator and is _____ at the poles.
zero; strongest
