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