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