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Chapter #9 Study Guide
Chapter #9 Study Guide
1. Regarding the affects of Coriolis on ocean circulation: a) What is meant by Geostrophic Flow? i. Balance between pressure gradient and coriolis causes a hill of water b) What is meant by Ekman Spiral and Ekman Transport? i. Ekman spiral is the circular motion caused by geostrophic flow, hill pushes mixed layer deeper ii. Ekman transport- coriolis effect felt smaller below sea level, the net motion of Ekman spiral generally 90 degrees to right in northern hemisphere c) Know the process behind coastal upwelling and downwelling. In particular, if given a wind direction along a coast, know how the surface ocean currents will flow. i. Upwelling- winds from the north blowing to the west, moved away from continent, water is replaced with cold, deep, nutrient rich water ii. Downwelling- wind blowing south along northern hemisphere west coast, water pushed towards continent, d) Know how upwelled waters differ from downwelled waters with regards to nutrient content. i. Upwelled waters have a lot more nutrients, cold water, water forced up ii. Downwelled less nutrients, warmer, water forced down e) Know the differences between eddies and gyres. Know the general differences between Eastern and Western Boundary currents (i.e. strength, salinity, temperatures). i. Gyres are surface currents circulating around ocean basins, n pacific, s pacific, n atlantic, s atlantic, indian ii. Eddies- small circulations from main flow, warm go clockwise, ccold go counteclockwise iii. Eastern boundary currents- cold, slow, small, upwelling (California and canary) west side of contine iv. Western boundary currents- large, fast, warm, downwelling (gulf stream, japan current) east side of contiennt From a global map, be able to identify and describe all 7 continents: North AmericaSouth America Australia Antarctica Europe Asia Africa From a global map, be able to identify the following bodies of water: Pacific Ocean Bering Sea Black Sea North Sea Atlantic Ocean Mediterranean Sea Caspian Sea Weddell Sea Indian Ocean Red Sea Caribbean Sea Arabian Sea Arctic Ocean Yellow Sea Japan Sea Baltic Sea Gulf of Mexico Hudson Bay Persian Gulf Bay of Bengal
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From a global map, be able to identify and describe the following Ocean Currents: a) California and Kuroshio Current b) Gulf Stream and Canary Currents c) Peru and Eastern Australia Currents d) Brazil and Benguela Current e) Algulhas and Western Australia Currents f) North and South Equatorial Current g) West Wind Drift With regards to El Nio: a) What ocean currents are interrupted? i. Currents from trade winds with nutrients, upwelling b) What happens to the trade winds to cause this effect? i. Trade winds diminish and reverse go east with warm water c) What happens to the eastern Pacific temperatures during an El Nio? i. Warmer waters d) What is a La Nia? i. Excess trade winds create upwelling e) What atmospheric signal identifies an El Nio or La Nia? i. Southern oscillation Regarding salinity and temperature of the ocean: f) How does salinity and temperature affect density of seawater? i. Higher salinity higher density, high temperature, lower density g) Know how to read a T-S diagram and be able to place layers of ocean water in corresponding depths. h) What is Caballing? i. Density of 2 of similar water masses is raised i) What is the thermohaline circulation and what is causing it? i. Distributes excess earths heat. Density drives it, because of temperature and salinity
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Regarding general ocean circulations: a) How and where are Deep bottom waters formed? i. Artic caused by cooling waters ii. Antarctica caused by freezing ice increasing salinity b) What are Countercurrents and Undercurrents? i. Counter currents is water moving the opoosite way at equator ii. Undercurrents- same thing but under like Cromwell current c) Where would you find the Cromwell Current? i. Beneath equater current, going the other way d) What are Langmuir Circulations? i. Swirling eddies caused by surface winds e) What units is ocean flow usually measured in? i. Sverdrup, ii. Ekman flow meter, measures speed and direction at a fixed position
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What is an internal wave? i. Form between 2 water masses of different density, base of pycnocline
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Describe the following waves to include the "disturbing" and "restoring" forces. a) Capillary Waves i. D=winds, r=cohesion b) Wind waves i. D= winds, r= gravity c) Seiches (also know storm surge) i. D=atmospheric disturbance (pressure), r=gravity d) Tsunamis i. D= geological disturbance, r=gravity e) Tides i. D=gravity/rotation of earth, r=gravity
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Where do most of the minerals in the sands of most continental beaches come from? i. Rivers and streams How does the size of the sediment alter how steep a coast is? i. What problems face many of the beaches in the United States and what is being done about it? i. Erosion; mangroves or shipping it in
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What is an estuary and describe the biological activity in them (high or low)? a. Estuaries are water surrounded by land, exposed to both salt water and fresh water Describe the 4 general ways estuaries are formed (see below): a. Drowned river mouth- sea levels rise and flood river mouth b. Fjord- glaciers c. Bar-built- refraction, saltwater enters lagoon d. Tectonic- tectonic moving side by side With regards to glaciers: a. What are moraines? i. Furthest extent of glacier, glacier moves on way and then when it retracts, sediments stay b. What does Marthas Vineyard have to do with Glaciers? i. Terminal moraine sediment left behind from glacier c. What is a Fjord (see 3b)? i. Valleys cut by glaciers
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