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MARS 102 > Exam 3 > Flashcards

Exam 3 Flashcards

1
Q

Who is Gilbert Walker?

A

Gilbert Walker was the first to recognize that an east-west atmospheric pressure see-saw occurred with the Walker Circulation, which is now called Southern Oscillation

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2
Q

What is the Walker Circulation?

A

The Walker Circulation is a conceptual model of the air flow in the tropics the troposphere

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3
Q

How does the Walker Circulation differ from Hadley Circulation?

A

The Hadley cell causes air to rise near the equator, and the Walker cell results in air rising over the western Pacific Ocean

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4
Q

What is the difference in atmosphere (i.e., high and low pressure areas) and oceanic (geographic variability in SST variability) neutral?

A

ALong the west coast of south America, Ekman transport moves water away from shore and causes upwelling, the eastern boundary upwelling off of Peru one of the best fisheries on earth, particularly anchovies

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5
Q

What is the difference in atmosphere (i.e., high and low pressure areas) and oceanic (geographic variability in SST variability) la niña?

A

similar to normal conditions of walker circulation, but more intensified, stronger trade winds, more upwelling, shallow thermocline in the eastern pacific, a band of cool water stretches across pacific, a band of cool water stretches across pacific

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6
Q

What is the difference in atmosphere (i.e., high and low pressure areas) and oceanic (geographic variability in SST variability) el niño?

A

High pressure along the south American coast weakens, reducing east and west differences in the walker cell, trade winds diminish, the pacific warm pool begins to flow back towards south America, warm water begins to move in September, and reaches south America by December/January during strong el Nino events, water, temps, can be 10C higher than normal

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7
Q

what is the combined effects of atmospheric and oceanic effects called

A

El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO)

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8
Q

Where are the most biologically productive areas in the ocean? Why?

A

Coastal upwelling areas are the most biologically productive areas in the ocean because of all the nutrients brought by the deep water

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9
Q

what is the primary oceanic effect during enso

A

warmer seawater

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10
Q

what is the difference between Nino 3.4, Nino 1, or Nino 2?

A

El Nino 1 and 2 are about the same, and they are the last stage where it’s on the coast of south America. El Nino 3.4 is about 10F warmer than el Nino 1-2 because it has more rising heat into thee atmosphere

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11
Q

what is the Nino 3.4 index

A

El Nino (la Nina) is a phenomenon in the equatorial pacific ocean characterized by a five consecutive 3-month running mean of sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies in the Nino 3.4 region that is above (below) the threshold of +0.5c (-0.5c)

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12
Q

what is the southern oscillation index (soi)

A

the soi is based on observed sea level pressure differences between Tahiti and Darwin, Australia

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13
Q

what does the southern oscillation index measure

A

is one measure of the alrge-scale fluctuations in air pressure occurring between the western and eastern tropical pacific during el Nino and la Nina episodes

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14
Q

what is the impact of ENSO on tropical cyclones in the Atlantic vs pacific oceans

A

el Nino favor stronger hurricane activity in the central and eastern pacific basins and suppresses it in the Atlantic basin

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15
Q

how can scientists learn how ENSO activity has changed through time

A

the tree ring growth. it’s related to climate hence ENSO. correlates with coral sst records

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16
Q

what are surface waves

A

created by the movement of air across ocean surface, occur only in the uppermost part of the ocean

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17
Q

what are internal waves

A

occur within the ocean along the boundary between water masses of different densities (pycnocline)

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18
Q

what are atmospheric waves

A

movement along different air masses

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19
Q

what are the two kinds of body waves

A

longitudinal waves (push-pull) and transverse (side to side)

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20
Q

what are longitudinal waves

A

particles vibrate in the same direction that the wave is traveling

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21
Q

what are transverse waves

A

energy travels at right angles to the vibrating particles

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22
Q

how are orbital waves generated

A

movement of the particles involves both longitudinal and transverse waves; ocean waves are orbital waves

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23
Q

what are crests, troughs, and still water with respect to wave physics

A

crests: high parts of the wave
trough: low parts of a wave
still water: halfway between crests and trough, (zero energy point)

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24
Q

describe wave height (H), wavelength (L), and wave period (T), with respect to wave physics

A

wave height (H): vertical distance between crest and trough
wavelength (L): distance between two crests/troughs
wave period (T): the time it takes a full wave to form and pass a given point

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25
Q

describe frequency (f) and wave base with respect to wave physics

A

frequency (f): the number of waveforms passing in a given time
wave base: depth below the surface where wave orbits become so small that movement is negligible

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26
Q

what is stokes drift

A

the net slight forward traveling of objects and surface water in direction of wave propagation

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27
Q

describe deep water waves

A

circular orbits decrease in size with increasing depth, water depth is greater than wave base, submarines dive below

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28
Q

describe transitional waves

A

intermediate between deep and shallow water wave, wavelength are 2-20x the water depth, wave speed is a function of depth

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29
Q

describe shallow water (long) waves

A

ocean floor interferes with circular orbit, said to touch the bottom of feel bottom

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30
Q

what are sea trains

A

locally-generated waves created by wind blowing on the sea surface, asymmetrical, with steep crests

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31
Q

what are swell trains?

A

smooth, sinusoidal waves that have a long wavelength, symmetrical shape, and long period, cause waves at the shoreline even with no wind

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32
Q

what is a wave train

A

groups of waves

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33
Q

how do white caps develop? what is the critical steepness ratio?

A

it starts at the capillary waves, then gravity waves grow, then white caps
critical steepness ration 1:7

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34
Q

what are the two primary variables impacting a fully developed sea state?

A

duration and fetch

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35
Q

define the duration and the units

A

time of wind blowing across surface, hrs

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36
Q

define fetch and the units

A

the length of uninterrupted ocean over which the wind blows, km

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37
Q

what is spilling breaker

A

the turbulent mass of air and water that runs down the front slope of the wave as it breaks. Longer life, but less fun to surf

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38
Q

what is a plunging breaker

A

curling crest over an air pocket, steeply sloping beaches and fun surfing

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39
Q

what is the surging breaker

A

when the ocean bottom has an abrupt slope, the wave energy is compressed into a short distance

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40
Q

how do tsunamis form?

A

very large sea waves from the sudden upward or downward motion of the sea floor during a submarine earthquake, landslide, or submarine explosion

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41
Q

where is the greatest tsunami risk

A

pacific ocean

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42
Q

what is the tsunami risk in the Atlantic Ocean

A

the risk is low due to the lack of subduction zones

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43
Q

what are the two primary tide-generating forces

A

the gravitational attraction between earth and the moon and sun, and the centripetal force tethers the earth and moon to each other, centripetal force is equal on parts of the earth

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44
Q

how long is lunar vs solar day? tides?

A

the lunar day is 24 hrs and 50 mins
the solar day is 24 hrs
tides are the large-scale motion of water and are the largest of all ocean waves in terms of wavelengths

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45
Q

what creates a tidal bulge

A

the moon (lunar cycle)

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46
Q

what is the Amphidromic point

A

the point in ocean basins or bay where there is no change in water level related to tidal action

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47
Q

what are the three primary types of tidal patterns

A

diurnal tides, semidiurnal tides, and mixed tidal patterns

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48
Q

what tidal pattern characterizes the Gulf of Mexico

A

the diurnal tide pattern characterizes the Gulf of Mexico

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49
Q

where is the water ‘stored’ in the hydrologic cycle

A

surface storage in oceans, lakes, reservoirs, and glaciers; underground storage occurs in the soil, in aquifers, and in the crevices of rock formations

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50
Q

what is a stream

A

a body of running water, confined to a channel, that runs downhill under the influence of gravity

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51
Q

what are headwaters

A

the upper part of stream near its source in the mountains

52
Q

what is a channel

A

a long, narrow depression eroded by a stream into a rock or sediment

53
Q

what is a floodplain

A

a flat valley floor composed of sediment deposited by the stream

54
Q

what is a tributary

A

a small stream flowing into a larger one

55
Q

what kinds of topographic features act as continental divides

A

a drainage divide on a continent such that the drainage basin on one side of the divide feeds into one ocean or sea, either feeds into a different ocean and the other end feeds into a different ocean or sea, or nothing at all

56
Q

what are the 4 patterns of stream drainage patterns

A

dendritic, radial, rectangular, and trellis

57
Q

what primarily controls the stream patterns

A

their pattern develops in response to the local topography and surface geology

58
Q

describe the dendritic stream pattern

A

drainage pattern resembling the branches of a tree

59
Q

describe the radial stream pattern

A

streams diverge outward like the spokes of a wheel, such as on conical mountains

60
Q

describe the rectangular stream pattern

A

tributaries have a frequent 90 bends and join other streams at right angles

61
Q

describe the trellis stream pattern

A

parallel streams with short tributaries meeting at right angles

62
Q

what is a thalweg? where does more erosion happen?

A

the location of maximum velocity
cutbank

63
Q

how does an oxbow lake form

A

meander neck becomes narrower until the neck cut off occurs and forms an oxbow lake

64
Q

how do streams carry sediment

A

bed loading, large or heavy rocks travel by traction (rolling/sliding) or saltation (bouncing) suspended load
dissolved load with ions

65
Q

how do aeolian environments carry sediment

A

uses air instead of water to lift heavy rocks

66
Q

where do streams deposit sediment along the stream flow path? at the stream mouth?

A

they are deposited at alluvial fans or deltas which are at the mouth

67
Q

what is a v-shaped valley

A

they form from downcutting (the process of deepening a valley by erosion of the stream) combined with mass wasting massive downhill of bedrock, rock debris, or soil under gravitational forcing) and sheet erosion

68
Q

what happens when a v-shaped valley is flooded by a transgression

A

it fills up with sea water

69
Q

what kind of coastal environment is created when a stream gets to the ocean

A

it turns into a coast

70
Q

what is headward erosion

A

is the backward erosion by river in the source region

71
Q

what is lateral erosion

A

is the erosion that occurs on the sides of valleys of a river or glacier

72
Q

what is a stream terrace

A

step like landforms found above a stream and its flood plain

73
Q

what kind of sediments do you expect to find if you dug a trench in the stream terrace

A

suspended sediments

74
Q

define porosity

A

the measurement of the rocks open space to hold water

75
Q

describe permeability

A

the capacity of a rock to transmit fluid through those opening spaces

76
Q

what divides the vadose and phreatic layer

A

water table seperates

77
Q

define vadose zone

A

the subsurface region above the water table that is unsaturated

78
Q

describe phreatic zone

A

the subsurface zone in which all rock openings are filled with water

79
Q

what is the unconfiened aquifer?

A

has a water table and is only partly filled with water

80
Q

what is a confined aquifer

A

completely filled with water under pressure, separated from the surface by impermeable confining layer

81
Q

what is an example of a geological material that would function as a confining layer dividing-up an aquifer

A

schists and granites are generally impermeable

82
Q

what is a well

A

a deep hole dug or drilled into the ground to obtain water from a aquifer

83
Q

how can wells use their cause a cone of depression to develop

A

drawdown causes cone of depression

84
Q

what is an artesian well

A

when groundwater from an artesian aquifer reaches the ground state

85
Q

what happens to the water in gaining stream vs losing stream

A

gaining stream: receive water from saturated zone
losing stream: loses water

86
Q

in the coastal zone, what is the meteoric lens, and its salinity

A

upper fresh to brackish groundwater, salinity about 1.00 to 1.02

87
Q

what is the saline groundwater

A

lower groundwater of seawater

88
Q

what is the halocline zone

A

a sharp boundary between the fresh and sane groundwater, more inland

89
Q

what is the mixing zone

A

often near the coast from mixing between the fresh and saline groundwater, can be single of multiple zones of brackish water several meters thick

90
Q

where does the water come from that undergoes submarine groundwater discharge

A

heated by nearby magma bodies or circulating deep in the crust

91
Q

how does the water warm that is flooding natural hot springs

A

nearby magma bodies heat them

92
Q

what is the difference between autogenic and allogenic aquifer recharge

A

autogenic: sourced from rainfall
allogenic: run off

93
Q

what is conduit flow through an aquifer

A

gravity with a free surfaced open to atmospheric pressure

94
Q

what is diffuse flow through an aquifer

A

low temp liquid, slow

95
Q

what is a fissure flow through an aquifer

A

volcano

96
Q

what is an ice shelf

A

permanent floating ice connected to a landmass mainland

97
Q

what are ice sheets

A

a mass of glacial land ice extending more than 50,000 km2

98
Q

what are glaciers

A

a large, long-lasting mass of ice, formed on land that moves under its own weight

99
Q

what is sea ice

A

is frozen ocean that forms in the water

100
Q

where do the ice shelf, ice sheet, glacier, and sea ice form

A

sea ice strictly forms on land just as glaciers only form on land. As ice sheets extend to the coast and over the ocean, they become ice shelves

101
Q

what is a spring

A

a place where waters flows naturally from rocks and sediments onto the ground surface

102
Q

what are the kinds of glaciated terrains on earth

A

alpine glaciation: mountain regions
continental glaciation: large part of a continent is covered by ice

103
Q

what are the 3 types of glaciers

A

cirque, horn, and arête glaciers

104
Q

glacial budgets: describe the zone of accumulations

A

area with perennial snow cover

105
Q

glacial budgets: describe the zone of ablation

A

the area of ice loss by melting, evaporation and calving

106
Q

glacial budgets: describe the equilibrium line

A

the boundary where winter snow is lost, and doesn’t contribute to glacial growth

107
Q

how does glacial ice form

A

snow converts to glacial ice, overtime compaction pushes air out and recrystallized flakes to granules

108
Q

what is firn

A

granules cemented together by ice

109
Q

can glaciers grow from the bottom-up, top-down, or both

A

both

110
Q

what is the plastic zone in a glacier

A

lower zone of glacier that is the primary location of movement

111
Q

what is the rigid zone in a glacier?

A

the upper pattern that is passive, ‘riding along’: due to friction, glacier flow is fastest at the top center of the glacier and slowest along the margins

112
Q

what is crevasse and how do they form

A

fractures formed in the upper rigid zone during glacier flow, most often around curves

113
Q

what are icebergs and how do they form

A

a large mass of glacial ice calved into water, 90% of iceberg below water

114
Q

what is a u-shaped valley? how does it form?

A

glaciers characteristically erode u-shaped valley from former v-shaped river valley

115
Q

what is a horn

A

the sharp peak that reminds after cirques have cut back a mountain on several sides

116
Q

what is arete

A

sharp ridges separating adjacent glacial valleys

117
Q

what is rouche moutonèe

A

the smoothing of small hills of bedrock by glacial erosion

118
Q

what is a fjord? how do they form?

A

a fjord is a long, narrow inlet with steep sides or cliffs, created by a glacier

119
Q

what is a glacial till

A

poorly sorted angular rock fragments transported and then deposited by a glacier

120
Q

what is the sedimentary rock produced when glacial till lithifies

A

tillite

121
Q

what is moraine

A

glacial till that occurs as a body of unsorted sediment on or left behind by a glacier

122
Q

what is esker

A

long, winding ridge of stratified sand and gravel

123
Q

what is drumlin

A

oval or elongated hill formed from streamlined movement

124
Q

what is the definition of SLE

A

the change in global averaged sea level that would occur of a given amount of water or ice were added

125
Q

what is the SLE for earth’s two current ice sheets

A

greenland: 7.2 m
antarctic: 58.3m

126
Q

what is the SLE for the Laurentide ice sheet

A

120m

MARS 102 (1 decks)

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