ENSO Flashcards

0
Q

Southern oscillation: occurs in

A

Eastern Pacific, near Peru and Ecuador.

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1
Q

Southern oscillation: coastal temperature increase forms a

A

Warm current and leads to strong flooding.

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2
Q

Southern oscillation: a large scale variation in mean sea level pressure, associated

A

With a change in weather patterns in the pan-tropical Pacific.

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3
Q

Southern oscillation: related to changes in pressure across the

A

Low over N Aust & Indonesia and the high over the tropical S Pacific.

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4
Q

Southern oscillation: warm water migrates east,

A

The ocean around N Aust cools, leading to dry conditions.

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5
Q

ENSO: is a combination of

A

Warm current and variation in mean sea level pressure.

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6
Q

ENSO: (3)

A

Leads to unseasonably dramatic weather.
Happens once / twice a decade.
Weather anomalies may occur a few months after the event.

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7
Q

ENSO: at times the high can weaken (pressure falls) whilst the

A

Low fills (pressure increases); this is a low index phase, the trades become weaker or even reverse W to E.

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8
Q

SO index (SOI): is the difference between

A

Monthly average mean sea level pressure at two locations.

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9
Q

When the SOI is high,

A

Trade winds blow strongly across the S Pacific E to W.

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10
Q

ENSO: the reverse in trade winds during a low-index phase leads to

A

Eastward migration of warm water across the Pacific Ocean.

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11
Q

The eastward migration of warm water across the Pacific Ocean is followed by deep

A

Cumulonimbus cloud, produced from surface heating. This produces torrential rainfall in usually dry areas, leading to dramatic flooding.

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12
Q

ENSO: Tall thunder clouds take heat into upper troposphere, this

A

Enhances horizontal temperature gradients, strengthening the jet streams and extending them eastwards.

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