OCE 1001 Chapter 7, Test 2
In the figure above, which of the labeled currents are eastern boundary currents? Choose all that apply. C O N H G
C N H
Thermohaline circulation is driven by: longitude. wind. density differences. the Coriolis effect. latitude.
density differences.
Coastal winds can cause upwelling or downwelling due to which of the following? Geostrophic current Western intensification Eastern intensification Ekman transport Equatorial upwelling
Ekman transport
Under which conditions are droughts and wildfires common in Australia? under El Niño conditions under normal conditions under La Niña conditions under Walker Circulation conditions
under El Niño conditions
In which direction does the surface current move in relation to the wind in the Southern Hemisphere? 90 degrees to the right 45 degrees to the left in the same direction 45 degrees to the right 90 degrees to the left
45 degrees to the left
To produce a surface current of 1.6 knots in the open ocean, a steady wind of _____ knots would be required. 80 60 50 40 100
80
Which of the following methods are used to measure ocean surface currents directly? Radar altimeters Doppler flow meters Pressure gradients Anchored buoys Accidental spills from container ships
Accidental spills from container ships
Western intensification causes: a steeper slope of surface water in the western section of the gyre as compared to the eastern section of the gyre. very swift western boundary currents. the center of the gyre to be shift to the west. a large volume of water to flow within western boundary currents. All the above effects are the result of western intensification.
All the above effects are the result of western intensification.
Compared to an eastern boundary current in a gyre, which of the following statements is true for a western boundary current? warmer water deeper current increased current velocity narrower current All the above statements are true of western boundary currents
All the above statements are true of western boundary currents
Based on the graph, which of the following has the lowest temperature? Antarctic Bottom Water (AABW) Antarctic Intermediate Water (AAIW) Mediterranean Intermediate Water (MIW) North Atlantic Central Surface Water (NACSW) North Atlantic Deep Water (NADW)
Antarctic Bottom Water (AABW)
Which of the following is the only current that completely circumscribes Earth? Malvinas Antarctic Circumpolar South Australian Benguela South Equatorial
Antarctic Circumpolar
In the figure above, which of the labeled currents are warm water currents? Choose all that apply. C K B E F
B E F
Why do the lengths of the arrows in the Ekman spiral get shorter and shorter as you move deeper into the water column? There is less light transmission with increased depth. Deeper water moves at a slower speed due to friction. There is less water in each progressive layer. The temperature gets colder with depth. The Coriolis effect weakens as depth increases.
Deeper water moves at a slower speed due to friction.
In the figure above, which shows a cross section of the Atlantic Ocean extending from Greenland (north) to Antarctica (south). Which labeled layer represents a cold-water mass mixing with warmer water to create a water mass with intermediate density? A D E F G
E
Surface ocean currents ___. CHOOSE ALL THAT APPLY. are driven by winds are influenced by Coriolis effect form large rotating gyres in the major ocean basins transfer large amounts of heat from the high latitudes toward the equator
EVERYHTING BUT transfer large amounts of heat from the high latitudes toward the equator
The Benguela Current is an example of which of the following types of currents? Eastern Boundary Current Equatorial Counter Current Northern Boundary Current Southern Boundary Current Western Boundary Current
Eastern Boundary Current
The California Current is an example of which of the following types of currents? Eastern Boundary Current Equatorial Counter Current Northern Boundary Current Southern Boundary Current Western Boundary Current
Eastern Boundary Current
Why does upwelling occur along the west coast of South America under normal conditions? Winds moving northward in the South Pacific drive ocean currents toward the north; deep water rises to replace water driven northward. Winds moving westward in the South Pacific drive ocean currents toward the west; deep water rises to replace water driven westward. Winds moving southward in the South Pacific drive ocean currents toward the south; deep water rises to replace water driven southward. Winds moving eastward in the South Pacific drive ocean currents toward the east; deep water rises to replace water driven eastward.
Winds moving westward in the South Pacific drive ocean currents toward the west; deep water rises to replace water driven westward.
The observation that ships and icebergs in the southern hemisphere float to the left of the wind direction is an example of which of the following? Western intensification Equatorial upwelling Eastern intensification Geostrophic current Ekman transport
Ekman transport
The false-color map of sea surface temperatures shown below is an example of which of the following features? El Nino conditions Monsoons Cyclones Eddies Upwelling
El Nino conditions
Which current that flows along the equator is driven by a difference in sea level caused by ocean circulation patterns? South Equatorial Current in the Indian Ocean Gyre Equatorial Countercurrent in the Pacific Ocean North Equatorial Current in the North Atlantic Gyre North Equatorial Current in the North Pacific Gyre South Equatorial Current in the North Pacific Gyre
Equatorial Countercurrent in the Pacific Ocean
Which of the following methods are used to measure deep ocean currents directly? Propeller flow meters Free-drifting Argo floats Radar altimeters Accidental spills from container ships Radio-transmitting float bottles
Free-drifting Argo floats
In the figure above, which shows a cross section of the Atlantic Ocean extending from Greenland (north) to Antarctica (south). Which labeled layer has the highest density? B D E F G
G
Which of the following two factors cause geostrophic circulation within a gyre? the wind and pressure. gravity and the Coriolis effect. temperature and pressure. density and the wind. salinity and gravity.
Gravity and the Coriolis Effect
One of the world's most powerful currents, located off the east coast of the United States, is the __________. North Equatorial Current Canary Current Kuroshio Current Gulf Stream North Atlantic Current
Gulf Stream
Which ocean current is the strongest and fastest ocean current in the world? Canary Current West Wind Drift Agulhas Current Gulf Stream California Current
Gulf Stream
Which of the following currents contributes to the South Eastern United States being humid? North Equatorial Current Brazil Current Gulf Stream California Current North Atlantic Current
Gulf Stream
Which of the following currents is responsible for Peru becoming the largest producer of fish, from the sea, in the world? Somali Current Canary Current Falkland Current Humboldt Current Brazil Current
Humboldt Current
The thermocline is _________________. a steep temperature gradient in the ocean that separates deeper warm water from colder upper water a steep gradient in the ocean that separates deeper saltier water from less salty upper water a steep gradient in the ocean that separates deeper less salty water from saltier upper water. a steep temperature gradient in the ocean that separates deeper cold water from warmer upper water
a steep temperature gradient in the ocean that separates deeper cold water from warmer upper water
Warm ocean currents ___. generally flow from high latitudes towards the equator are warmer than the surrounding water are warmer than 15 degrees Celsius generally flow along the west coasts of continents
are warmer than the surrounding water
When a meander from the Gulf Stream pinches off into the warm water south of the current, the eddy is called a __________. warm-core eddy or ring cyclonic circulation Langmuir cell geostrophic circulation cold-core eddy or ring
cold-core eddy or ring
Downwelling can result from __________. Ekman transport away from a coast converging surface currents diverging surface currents an ocean current flowing over submerged banks or seamounts strong offshore winds
converging surface currents
Of the following statements about the Ekman spiral and Ekman transport, which is/are true? Choose all that apply. Ekman transport results in converging surface currents along the equator. In the deeper layers of the Ekman spiral, water can move in a direction opposite of the wind direction. Ekman transport can result in both upwelling and downwelling. Ekman transport is to the right of the wind direction in the Northern Hemisphere. The Coriolis effect causes surface waters to move at an angle relative to the wind direction. Ekman transport is the driving force for thermohaline flow.
In the deeper layers of the Ekman spiral, water can move in a direction opposite of the wind direction. Ekman transport can result in both upwelling and downwelling. Ekman transport is to the right of the wind direction in the Northern Hemisphere. The Coriolis effect causes surface waters to move at an angle relative to the wind direction
Why is Antarctic Bottom Water so dense? It is extremely fresh due to ice melt. It is cold and salty. It is only seasonally warmed by the sun. It is under immense pressure. It warms as it approaches the equator.
It is cold and salty.
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 El Niño conditions. 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. It is the path that air takes as it moves from high to low pressure, and back to high pressure, in the South Atlantic under normal conditions. It is the path that air takes as it moves from high to low pressure, and back to high pressure, in the South Atlantic under El Niño conditions. It is the path that air takes as it moves from high to low pressure, and back to high pressure, in the North Pacific under normal conditions.
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.
Of the following surface currents, which one(s) transport large volumes of warm water to higher latitudes? Choose all that apply. Canary Current Kuroshio Current Brazil Current North Pacific Current the Gulf Stream Peru Current
Kuroshio Current The Gulf Stream Brazil current
Based on the graph, which of the following has the highest salinity? Antarctic Bottom Water (AABW) Antarctic Intermediate Water (AAIW) Mediterranean Intermediate Water (MIW) North Atlantic Central Surface Water (NACSW) North Atlantic Deep Water (NADW)
Mediterranean Intermediate Water (MIW)
In the figure above, which of the labeled currents are shallow, weak, and slow currents? Choose all that apply. N I H A O
N H
The Gulf Stream transports warm water into the __________. North Atlantic Caribbean Sea South Atlantic Eastern Atlantic Gulf of Mexico
North Atlantic
Based on the graph, which of the following has the lowest density? Antarctic Bottom Water (AABW) Antarctic Intermediate Water (AAIW) Mediterranean Intermediate Water (MIW) North Atlantic Central Surface Water (NACSW) North Atlantic Deep Water (NADW)
North Atlantic Central Surface Water (NACSW)
Of the following gyres, which one(s) flow in a counterclockwise direction? Choose all that apply. North Pacific Subtropical Gyre Northern Hemisphere Subpolar Gyres North Atlantic Subtropical Gyre South Pacific Subtropical Gyre Indian Ocean Subtropical Gyre South Atlantic Subtropical Gyre
Northern Hemisphere Subpolar Gyres South Pacific Subtropical Gyre South Atlantic Subtropical Gyre Indian Ocean Subtropical Gyre
Which of the following methods are used to measure ocean surface currents indirectly? Pressure gradients Radio-transmitting float bottles Propeller flow meters Accidental spills from container ships Free-drifting Argo floats
Pressure gradients
Which of the following methods are used to measure ocean surface currents directly? Radar altimeters Pressure gradients Radio-transmitting float bottles Anchored buoys Doppler flow meters
Radio-transmitting float bottles
Between summer and winter, which of the following currents reverses its flow direction? Florida Current Falkland Current California Current Brazil Current Somali Current
Somali Current
Which of the following Atlantic Subtropical gyre boundary currents is split into two by a large landmass? Canary Current North Atlantic Current South Equatorial Current Brazil Current Benguela Current
South Equatorial Current
The observation of a hill of water within all subtropical gyres is an example of which of the following? Geostrophic current Equatorial upwelling Eastern intensification Subtropical convergence Western intensification
Subtropical convergence
Recall that global winds impact the direction of surface ocean currents. Examine the following map showing the Atlantic Ocean off the west coast of Africa. The direction of the surface current and the prevailing wind do not coincide. What can explain this discrepancy? Select the two that apply. The current is being pulled in a clockwise direction because the subtropical gyre is located in the Southern Hemisphere. The Coriolis effect deflects ocean currents in the Southern Hemisphere to the left due to Earth's rotation. Because the current is located in the Southern Hemisphere, the subtropical gyre pulls the current in a counterclockwise direction. The ocean current is being deflected to the right due to the Coriolis effect.
The Coriolis effect deflects ocean currents in the Southern Hemisphere to the left due to Earth's rotation. Because the current is located in the Southern Hemisphere, the subtropical gyre pulls the current in a counterclockwise direction.
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 cool weather. The eastern coast of Australia would be experiencing unusually wet weather. The eastern coast of Australia would be experiencing unusually warm weather. The eastern coast of Australia would be experiencing unusually dry weather.
The eastern coast of Australia would be experiencing unusually dry weather.
The Brazil Current is an example of which of the following types of currents? Eastern Boundary Current Equatorial Counter Current Northern Boundary Current Southern Boundary Current Western Boundary Current
Western Boundary Current
The Kuroshio (Japan) Current is an example of which of the following types of currents? Eastern Boundary Current Equatorial Counter Current Northern Boundary Current Southern Boundary Current Western Boundary Current
Western Boundary Current
Of the following locations, where would upwelling be expected to occur? Choose all that apply. In regions with a well-developed pycnocline In areas of converging surface currents Where there is a sharp bend in a coastline Where seamounts or tablemounts are present In areas of diverging surface currents
Where there is a sharp bend in a coastline Where seamounts or tablemounts are present In areas of diverging surface currents
Which force(s) drive(s) water circulation in the deep ocean? Choose all that apply. differences in water density differences in water salinity differences in water temperature differences in water pH wind
differences in water pH wind
Converging surface waters are areas of ________ and ________ productivity. upwelling; high downwelling; low upwelling; low downwelling; high
downwelling; low
Equatorial currents that are part of the subtropical gyres flow ___. Equatorial counter currents between the gyres flow ___ . east to west; west to east east to west; east to west west to east; east to west west to east; west to east
east to west; west to east
Which direction do ocean currents in the South Pacific move under El Niño conditions? westward eastward southward northward
eastward
Ocean frontal systems that spin off from currents such as the Gulf Stream, akin to atmospheric storms, are known as __________. meanders eddies geostrophic flow
eddies
During winter months, monsoon winds over the Indian Ocean: flow from land to sea and are dry. flow from sea to land and are dry. flow from sea to land and are wet. the direction of airflow is unchanged but precipitation increases. flow from land to sea and are wet.
flow from land to sea and are dry.
Cool ocean currents ___. generally flow from high latitudes towards the equator are still warmer than the surrounding water generally flow along the east coasts of continents are cooler than 15 degrees C
generally flow from high latitudes towards the equator
Which process causes downwelling off the coast of Antarctica? ice formation seasonal warming mixing within the pycnocline ice melting icebergs sinking
ice formation
What is the overall effect of the stronger than normal trade winds typical of La Niña conditions? swapping of the South Pacific high and low pressure zones from normal conditions flipping of the South Pacific ocean current direction from normal conditions lowering of the South Pacific ocean temperature from normal conditions raising of the South Pacific ocean temperature from normal conditions
lowering of the South Pacific ocean temperature from normal conditions
Fluctuations in the flow of the Gulf Stream current result in curving loops of water known as __________. eddies meanders fronts
meanders
Ocean surface currents transfer about ________ of the total amount of heat from the tropics to the poles. two-thirds three-fourths one-half one-fourth one-third
one-third
Deep ocean currents ___. are primarily driven by wind patterns include deep water that rises in the North Atlantic and surface water that sinks in the Pacific and Indian Oceans result from changes in water density (due to temperature and salt content)
result from changes in water density (due to temperature and salt content)
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 increased albedo in the polar areas, resulting in the cooling of nearby landmasses acceleration of deep ocean circulation, resulting in lower carbon dioxide levels in deep water an increase in upwelling in the Arctic, resulting in increased surface biological productivity decreased humidity and precipitation in the Arctic region, resulting in aridity and the loss of boreal forests
slowing of deep ocean circulation, resulting in lower oxygen levels in deep water
Coastal upwelling along the coast of Chile is a result of winds from the ________ turning towards the ________ due to Ekman transport. north; right north; left south; right south; left
south; left
Which of the following statements is true of surface ocean currents? Surface currents transport warm water toward the equator. Surface currents concentrate warm water in the center of the gyre at mid latitudes. Surface currents form circular patterns in the major ocean basins called "gyres." Surface currents occur within and below the pycnocline. Surface currents transport cold water toward the poles.
surface currents form circular patterns in the major ocean basins called "gyres"
The El Niño Southern Oscillation can best be described as: wind speed and wind direction differences along the equator. variation in wind speed over the Pacific Ocean. the relationship between sea surface temperature and changing atmospheric pressure. relative changes between two different atmospheric pressure systems at high altitude. tidal differences between coastal Peru and Darwin, Australia.
the relationship between sea surface temperature and changing atmospheric pressure
What is the Southern Oscillation? the swapping of high and low pressure zones in the South Pacific under El Niño conditions the swapping of high and low pressure zones in the South Pacific under normal conditions the swapping of high and low temperature zones in the South Pacific under normal conditions the swapping of high and low temperature zones in the South Pacific under El Niño conditions
the swapping of high and low pressure zones in the South Pacific under El Niño conditions
The Ekman spiral is caused by: pressure gradients. density differences in the water column. the wind and the Coriolis effect. the wind and gravity. the pycnocline.
the wind and the Coriolis effect.
Deep ocean current movement is also known as __________. Ekman transport thermohaline flow the Antarctic Divergence equatorial downwelling Walker circulation
thermohaline flow
In the southern hemisphere, the direction of Ekman transport is always: at a 45° angle from the wind direction. perpendicular to the wind direction. to the east of the wind direction. to the right of the wind direction. to the left of the wind direction.
to the left of the wind direction
In the figure above, depicting a hypothetical wind direction in an ideal world. The iceberg broke off from the Greenland Ice Sheet and floated into the ocean. Under the prevailing wind conditions, in which direction would the iceberg be pushed? toward A toward B toward C toward D toward E
toward D
Refer the figure above. In which direction would the entire surface current underneath the Greenland iceberg be expected to travel? toward A toward B toward C toward D toward E
toward E
Equatorial currents are primarily driven by westerlies. trade winds. density. Ekman transport. Coriolis force.
trade winds.
Surface waters are pushed away from land and replaced by nutrient-rich bottom water through: upwelling. convergence. sea breezes. land breezes. downwelling.
upwelling.
Warm core rings and cold core rings are associated with __________. equatorial countercurrents western boundary currents tropical cyclones contour currents eastern boundary currents
western boundary currents
What factor(s) drive(s) Ekman transport? Choose all that apply. boat movement Coriolis effect water temperature wind water salinity
Coriolis effect wind
About what percent of the wind's energy is transferred to the ocean surface? Twenty Five Ten Fifty Two
Two
An increase in seawater density can be caused by a ________ in temperature or a/an ________ in salinity. decrease; increase increase; decrease increase; increase decrease; decrease
decrease; increase
