Atmospheric teleconnections and ocean Flashcards
(136 cards)
1
Q
global circulation is driven by
A
the unequal heating of earth’s surface
2
Q
thermo disequilibrium
A
the idea that if air is warmer then the surrounding air then that warm air will float
3
Q
gases that are ____ _(light or heavy) float higher
A
lighter
4
Q
gases that are ____ _(light or heavy) float lower
A
heavy
5
Q
jetstream
A
boundaries between hot and cold air (separates fronts)
6
Q
fronts
A
the transition zone between two different air masses at the Earth’s surface (each air mass has unique temperature and humidity characteristics)
7
Q
trade winds
A
winds converging at the equatorial low
8
Q
were are trade winds often found
A
in the tropical zone
9
Q
air must ____ in order to have rainfall
A
rise
10
Q
examples of trade winds
A
- Northeast trades
- Hadley cells
- doldrums
11
Q
were are Northeast trade winds found
A
northern hemisphere
12
Q
Hadley cells
A
air and wind moving between subtropics and the ITCZ
13
Q
doldrums
A
equatorial calms where the wind is displaced upwards
14
Q
is there wind in doldrums
A
NO
15
Q
where do doldrums often happen
A
at the equator
16
Q
Rossby waves are found
A
in the westerly flow of geostrophic winds
17
Q
motion of Rossby waves
A
great waving undualtions
18
Q
where do Rossby waves occur
A
along the polar front (where colder air meets warmer air)
19
Q
where do Rossby waves occur
A
along the polar front (where the colder air meets warmer air)
20
Q
what happens to Rossby waves at they mature
A
circulation patterns form where warmer and colder air mix along distinct fronts
21
Q
what is associated with the position of jet streams
A
Rossby waves
22
Q
jet streams
A
bands of fast wind occurring at several different locations
23
Q
what do jet streams influence
A
surface weather systems
24
Q
when do jet streams weaken
A
summer
25
when do jet streams strengthen
winter
26
two examples of jet streams
1. polar jet stream (PFJ)
2. subtropical jet stream (STJ)
27
polar jet stream (PFJ) meanders between
30 degrees and 70 degrees North
28
Subtropical jet stram (STJ)
subtropical latitudes near the boundary between tropical and mid-latitude
29
Subtropical jet stream meanders
from 20 degrees to 50 degrees North
30
what jet stream is shown by the triangle
polar jet stream
31
what jet stream is shown by the rectangle
subtropical jet stream
32
1
equatorial low
33
2
tropical tropopause
34
3
midlatitude tropopause
35
4
subtropical jet stream
36
5
subtropical high
37
6
trade winds
38
7
polar jet stream
39
8
westerlies
40
9
arctic tropopause
41
10
polar front
42
where does the rising air of the equatorial low move
poleward until the subtropical jet stream
43
what makes up the Hadley cell
1. equatorial low with its rising air
2. equatorial low winds moving polewards
3. equatorial low winds reaching the subtropical jet stream and falling
4. from the subtropical high
5. winds travel from subtropical high to equatorial low
44
does falling air have rain
NO
45
some of the rising equatorial low moves past the subtropical jet stream to the
polar jet stream
46
are the westerlies extratropical or tropical
extratropical
47
three tropopauses in the global atmospheric circulation patterns
1. tropical tropopause
2. midlatitude tropopause
3. arctic tropopause
48
what jet stream has MORE power
polar jet stream
49
the polar jet stream NORTH of us creates
warm conditions
50
the polar jet stream SOUTH of us creates
cold conditions
51
what is associated with the equatorial low
clouds and rain
52
what is associated with the subtropical high
hot, dry desert air
53
what is associated with the midlatitude circulation
cool and moist air
54
what is associated with polar circulation
frigid, dry desert air
55
what does the steep face of the advancing cold air mass reflect
the ground-hugging nature of cold air
56
what happens to warm moist air when it meets a cold front
lifts upwards abruptly
57
what shape is a cold front depicted as
a line with triangular spikes that point in the direction it is moving
58
what is the shape of a cold front
convex shape
59
is a cold front long or short distances
short
60
what kind of precipitation is expected in a cold front
intense precipitation (thunder) but with a short duration
61
where can warm air masses be carried and how
by jet steams into regions with colder air
62
can the leading edge of a warm air mass displace cooler air
NO
63
why cannot warm air displace colder air
colder air is more dense then warmer air
64
what happens to the colder air when met with a warm front
it is pushed under to form a wedge shape
65
_____ air slides up over _____ air in warm front
warm over cold
66
what kind of clouds are formed in a cold front
cumulonimbus (puffy rain/thunder cloud)
67
warm fronts are large or short distances
large
68
what is the shape of a warm front
wedge shape
69
true or false
a warm front is faster then a cold front
false - its slower
70
what kind of precipitation can be expected from a warm front
low intensity but long duration
71
precipitation is caused by
displaced air vertically
72
true or false
atmospheric and oceanic systems are intimately connected
true
73
how are atmospheric and oceanic systems connected
the driving force for ocean currents is the frictional drag of the winds
74
what are other important forces that shape ocean currents
1. Coriolis force
2. density differences caused by temp and salinity
3. configuration of the continents and ocean floor
4. astronomical forces that cause tides
75
examples of ocean currents
1. surface currents
2. equatroial currents
3. thermohaline circulation (deep currents)
76
true or false
ocean current flow is deflected by the Coriolis force
true
77
how does the deflection of ocean currents due to the Coriolis force differ compared to atmospheres
they are NOT as tightly circular
78
where are ocean currents driven by the atmospheric circulation
around subtropical HIGH PRESSURE cells
79
oceanic circulation system is known as
gyres
80
how do winds and oceans move in the Northern Hemisphere compared to Southern Hemisphere
NH - move clockwise about high-pressure cells
SH - the opposite
81
equatorial currents
trade winds drive the ocean surface waters westward in a concentrated channel along the equator
82
why do equatorial currents remain near the equator
because of the weakness of the Coriolis force
83
western intensification
as surface currents approach the western margin of the oceans, the water piles up against the eastern shores of these continents
84
how does water pile up
by water taking place of the water that had become displaced
85
where does piled-up water go
spilling northward and southward in strong currents
86
upwelling current
1. where surface water is swept AWAY from a coast
87
what can cause upwelling currents
1. surface divergence
2. offshore wind
88
____ water is generally rich in nurtients
cool
89
downwelling current
occur in areas of ACCUMULATION of water
90
where can downwelling currents occur (example)
western end of an equatorial current
91
what do the upwelling and downwelling flows redistribute
heat energy and salinity over the globe
92
thermohaline circulation AKA
deep currents
93
what is known as the thermohaline circulation
differences in temp and salinity produces density differences important to the flow of deep currents on Earth
94
what happens when warm, salty air mixes with cold water of the Arctic Ocean
the air cools, increases in density and shrinks
95
atmospheric teleconnections
climate anomalies are related to each other at LARGE DISTANCES
96
what is the main point of atmospheric teleconnections
something that happens far away influences the weather patterns in another area far away
97
what are atmospheric teleconnections linked to
ocean currents and surface weather
98
regional oscillations in global circulation patterns can cause ________ lasting long or short periods of time
fluctuations in temp and air pressure
99
most famous oscillation
El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO)
100
what is associated with the ENSO
1. shifting of air pressure
2. shifting of winds
3. shifting of sea surface temps (SST)
101
what was influenced by the ENSO
marine ecosystems
global precipitation
storm movement
102
what is the norm in equatorial Pacific
consistent trade winds drag warm surface waters AWAY from the South American coast = upwelling of colder nutrient rich water from below
103
what does El Nino look like in the equatorial Pacific
a periodic warming of coastal temps that temporarily lowers the productivity of local fisheries
104
if there is no upwelling cold current then there is
less fish
105
can pressure patterns and surface ocean temps shift from their usual locations
yes
106
what happens when winds and ocean currents no longer pull warm surface water westward
the thermocline lowers in-depth and upwelling stops
107
when do ENSO roughly occur
every 3 to 7 years
108
true or false
intensity and frequency of ENSO events _____ during 20th century
increased
109
what is the opposite of El Nino
La Nina
110
La Nina AKA
ENSO cool phase
111
El Nino AKA
warm phase
112
La Nina
when the surface waters in the central and eastern pacific COOL to below normal by 0.4 degrees Celcius
113
small temp changes can have
large climate impacts
114
La Nina compared to El Nino
weaker and less consistent
115
what has ENSO been linked to
intense weather
short-term climate effects across the globe
116
what are some correlations with El Nino
1. droughts
2. strong hurricanes
3. heavy percipitation
117
Atlantic hurricane season ____ during El Nino
weakens
118
what are 5 global circulation patterns
1. polar high
2. subpolar low
3. subtropical high
4. ITCZ
5. Hadley cell
119
what front is represented with blue triangles
cold fronts
120
what front gets more violent weather
cold fronts
121
when do we see fronts in Lethbridge
winter (don't have many in summer - not many lP systems)
122
what are surface currents impacted by
wind and Coriolis force
123
is there a layer in the ocean that does NOT interact with the wind
YES- the deeper you go
124
where are the five main gyres
2 in Atlatic and Pacific
1 in the Indian
125
western intensification on western side has water come from
nN to S
126
in downwelling how does the water get warmer
with depth
127
upwelling or downwelling is nutrients rich
upwelling
128
salinity
concentration of dissolved solids (
129
average salinity is
3.5%
130
what happens to salt as ocean water evaporates
it is left behind and increases salinity
131
where is salinity the highest
at the equator
132
why is salinity highest at the equator
most dense
133
brine
has high evaporation = very salty
134
brackish
mix of ocean and freshwater with freshwater inputs
135
what drives thermohaline
salinity and temp (density)
136
where is the most dense water found
Greenland
