quiz nov 12 Flashcards
What is El Niño current?
El Niño and la Niña are exceptions to normal
wind and current flow
• El Niño flow = Eastward-moving warm water from the Western pacific to South America around Christmas
What is ENSO?
El Niño and the Southern Oscillation are coupled: ENSO
What is the Southern Oscillation
change in atmospheric pressure (and thus wind
direction) from high to low in East Pacific and from low to high in theWestern Pacific
What is climate change?
Climate change occurs when changes in Earth’s climate system result in new weather patterns that last for at least a few decades, and maybe for millions of years.
ghg emisstions -> ghg in atmosphere -> radiative forcing -> global warming -> climate change
What is the Greenhouse effect?
Greenhouse effect is a natural process that makes Earth a comfortable place to live
it’s a process that occurs when gases in Earth’s atmosphere trap the Sun’s heat. This process makes Earth much warmer than it would be without an atmosphere
What is an upwelling?
Upwelling is an oceanographic phenomenon that involves wind-driven motion of dense, cooler, and usually nutrient-rich water from deep water towards the ocean surface, replacing the warmer, usually nutrient-depleted surface water.
What are the main greenhouse gases?
CO2, Methane, water vapor
What is the radiation budget?
The balance between incoming< energy from the sun and outgoing> energy to the space
(after having been distributed along the 5 components of Earth´s climate system)
What is the Albedo?
About 30% of the solar energy that comes to Earth is reflected back to space.
The ratio of reflected-to-incoming energy is called “albedo”
What are the 3 characteristics that classify waves?
DRW
disturbing force - restoring force - wavelength
What is a tsunami?
• Long-wavelength, shallow-water, progressive waves caused by the rapid displacement of ocean water
Why is a tsunami considered a shallow water wave?
Tsunamis are shallow water waves with wavelengths of up to 200 km
and they never find themselves in water deeper than half their wavelength (>100 km)
What speed can a tsunami reach?
• They can move at speeds over 800 km/h so they can cross an entire ocean basin in less than a day
What are the fastests waves?
Tides, because they have the longest wavelength
Wavelengh of a tsunami?
up to 200km
