Oceanography-Water Circulation

Front 1

there are two patterns of ocean circulation they are...

Back 1

Surface circulation (occuring above 200m)

Deep ocean circulation (occuring below 200m)

Front 2

surface circulation is caused by... Deep water circulation is caused by...

Back 2

Wind + Coriolis ; Density stratification

Front 3

ULTIMATELY what is the source of energy for both systems...

Back 3

differential solar heating and gravity.

Front 4

At what rate do oceans flow?

Back 4

1-2% of the wind speed.

Front 5

Since wind travels between... Currents travel between...

Back 5

5-20 m/s
.1-.5 m/s

Front 6

What is ekman transport?

Back 6

the net movement of water.

Front 7

In what direction is Ekman transport in the north? south?

Back 7

90 degrees to the right of the wind + Coriolis.

90 degrees to the left of the wind + Coriolis.

Front 8

Ekman transport suggests that the wind has a greater effect on... therefore what do we see...?

Back 8

the top layers are moved along by wind faster. so as you move down the water column the velocity of the water's movement decreases.

Front 9

this decrease in velocity according to water level is called?

Back 9

ekman spiral

Front 10

What are the North atlantic ocean currents?

Back 10

N- North atlantic
W- Canary current
S- N. Equatorial current
E- Gulf stream

Front 11

What are the South atlantic ocean currents?

Back 11

N- S. equatorial current
W- benguella current
S- westwind drift
E- brazil current

Front 12

What are the North pacific ocean currents?

Back 12

N- North atlantic
E- Kuroshio current
S- s. equatorial current
W- alaskan or californian current

Front 13

What are the South pacific ocean currents?

Back 13

N- S equatorial current
W- Peru current
S- westwind drift
E- east australian current

Front 14

What are the currents in the indian ocean

Back 14

N- South equatorial
W- western australian current
S- westwind drift
E- Alguhas current

Front 15

As a result of currents pointing in different directions we get hills of water called...

Back 15

gyres

Front 16

in the north gyres cause CW/CCW movement. In the south?

Back 16

CW ; CCW

Front 17

What is the height of the hills? why dont they get taller?

Back 17

1-1.5 m high; gravity counters the force of ekman spiral.

Front 18

Of the western boundary currents and the eastern boundary currents, which moves faster?

Back 18

Western (3.5 knots vs. .5 knots)

Front 19

We know western boundary current are faster. Are they

-cooler/warmer
-Strong/weak
-brings moisture?
-narrow/wide
-example?

Back 19

warmer, strong, bring moisture and are narrow (to move fast)

Gulf stream

Front 20

the Gulf stream travels at about what speed? purpose?

Back 20

2 m/s; transports warm water to northern lattitudes.

Front 21

water that swirls off from currents (circular)

Back 21

Edies

Front 22

Eddies could be CW or counter clockwise. Which are nutrient rich?

Back 22

CCW (use RHR). Recall cold upwellings bring cold nutrient-rich water to the surface.

Front 23

How deep do eddy's travel? how long do they last? what occurs at eddies?

Back 23

some are surface to sea floor storms. They last several years.

HIGH BIOLOGICAL PRODUCTIVITY

Front 24

EASTERN Boundary currents

-warmer/colder
-deeper/shallower
-broader/narrower
-slower/faster
-eddies?

Back 24

cooler

shallower

broader

slower

no eddies

Front 25

East wind drift and west wind drift are examples of... they are found where in the world?

Back 25

transverse currents; Antartica.

Front 26

East wind current and West wind current produce some of the largest...

Back 26

waves, storms and currents because there is no continent to impede their movement.

Front 27

What is the other transverse current we should know?

Back 27

Equatorial counter current

Front 28

Both NE and SE tradewinds point wind and water to the West at 5N and 5S. Then what?

Back 28

Water theoretically builds up in the West and it flows back east along the equator beneath the doldrums (NO WIND).

Front 29

As a result of higher currents in the west. Indonesia (west) has how much higher currents than Peru?

Back 29

.5 m

Front 30

movement of deep water to surface
Brings cold, nutrient-rich water to surface
High productivity: abundant marine life

Back 30

Upwellings

Front 31

= movement of surface water down
Moves warm, nutrient-depleted surface water down
Low productivity!

Back 31

Down welling

Front 32

What are two scenarios that cause upwellings?

Back 32

Water moving away from the continental shelf (new water moves in from below)

When currents diverge.

Front 33

What are two scenarios for downwelling to occur?

Back 33

When water flows toward a continent.

When currents converge.

Front 34

Wind convergence causes

Back 34

current divergence and therefore upwellings

Front 35

Where on a map do upwellings occur?

Back 35

at the equator, at the polar fronts and at WESTERN BOUNDARIES OF continents.

Front 36

how do we know where to drill for petroleum?

Back 36

petroleum exists in regions of upwelling (high biological productivity). Oceanographists then examine upwelling trends and trace it back millions of years and dig where there were upwellings.

Front 37

What causes ENSO?

Back 37

changes in atmospheric condition causes changes in currents which changes temperature of water making water much warmer and therefore LESS FISH.

Front 38

What are normal conditions called? what are normal conditions?

Back 38

La Nina.

Low pressure over india (west) and high pressure over peru (east). Rain therefore falls in the west and currents travel from East to west like equatorial currents do. Causing upwelling off the coast of peru and down welling off the coast of india.

Front 39

During ENSO conditons,

Back 39

there is high pressure over both countries and low pressure over the pacific. however warm water pools in the east where downwelling now occurs.

Front 40

During ENSO we notice what with hurricanes?

Back 40

Fewer Atlantic hurricanes, more Pacific hurricanes

Front 41

based on the 2006 hurricane season it is safe to assume...

Back 41

we are at the start of ENSO conditions.

Front 42

Intense low pressure systems that form in the tropics

Back 42

Hurricanes

Front 43

Most damage caused by

Back 43

Storm surge

Front 44

why does a hurricane thrive on hot water?

Back 44

Ocean adds energy in form of vapor (latent heat of condensation).

Front 45

Global warming and hurricanes?

Back 45

Scientific evidence suggests there is a link between global warming and the power—not frequency—of hurricanes,"

Front 46

HURRICANES form where?

Back 46

HURRICANES DO NOT FORM AT THE EQUATOR… NO CORIOLIS

They form at the ICTZ. waves off of Africa.