Chapter 7 Flashcards
What forces produce surface currents?
Wind forces
What forces produce deep currents?
Driven by differences in density caused by differences in temperature and salinity
What are the effects of warm vs cool ocean currents on coastal climates?
Warm ocean currents warm the air at the coast (warm humid air, humid climate on adjoining landmasses), cool ocean currents cool the air at the coast (cool dry air, dry climate on adjoining landmasses)
What are different conditions that will produce upwelling?
Offshore winds, seafloor obstruction, coastal geometry changes, and the lack of pycnocline (high latitude oceans), ekman transport. Also if wind it coming from the north and surface water is moving away from the coast due to ekman transport that causes upwelling.
What are different conditions that will produce downwelling?
Winds are pushing water together, surface water piles up, heavy mass of water that pushes water down, converging surface currents, ekman transport. Also when wind it coming from the south heading north, water will move towards the coast due to the ekman flow of surface water and cause downwelling
What are the conditions of an El Niño year for the eastern pacific (US and Peru)? For the
western pacific?
High pressure weakens, weaker trade winds, warm pool migrates eastwards, thermocline deeper in the eastern pacific, downwelling ,and lower biological productivity causing peruvian fishing to suffer.
What are the climate effects of the Gulf Stream?
Gulf stream will warm the east coast of the United States and Northern Europe. Warm-core rings and cold-core rings can be produced due to loss of water volume. Warm-core rings consist of warmer sargasso sea water that’s trapped in loop surrounded by cool water, cold-core rings consist of cold water trapped in loop surrounded by warmer water.
What are the conditions of a La Niña year for the eastern pacific (US and Peru)? For the western
pacific?
Increased pressure difference across equatorial Pacific, stronger trade winds, stronger upwelling in eastern Pacific, shallower thermocline, cooler than normal seawater, and higher biological productivity.
