Wind and Ocean Circulation

Flashcards covering key concepts related to wind and ocean circulation, atmospheric processes, and their interconnections.

Atmosphere

The layer of gases surrounding the Earth.

Ocean Currents

Continuous, directed movement of seawater generated by various forces acting upon the water, including wind.

Pressure Gradient

The change in pressure across a horizontal distance.

Coriolis Effect

The apparent deflection of moving objects due to the Earth's rotation.

Low Pressure Zone

Area where air density is lower, often due to higher temperatures or moisture content.

High Pressure Zone

Area where air density is higher, usually due to lower temperatures or moisture content.

Wind

Air current flowing from areas of high pressure to low pressure.

Hadley Cell

A major circulation cell that extends from the equator to about 30° latitude.

Ferrel Cell

A circulation cell extending from 30° to about 50° latitude.

Polar Cell

A circulation cell that extends from 50° to 90° latitude.

Gyre

A large system of circulating ocean currents, particularly those involved with large wind movements.

Ekman Spiral

The pattern of water movement in the ocean column caused by wind-induced motion.

Ekman Transport

The net movement of water at an angle to the wind direction caused by the Coriolis effect.

Upwelling

The process where deep, cold water rises to the surface.

Downwelling

The process where surface water sinks due to increased density.

Langmuir Circulation

A spiral motion of water that occurs due to wind, forming surface streaks.

Geostrophic Currents

Currents in the ocean that flow in balance between gravity and the Coriolis effect.

Western Boundary Currents

Narrow, deep currents along the western edge of ocean basins, often fast and warm.

Eastern Boundary Currents

Broader, slower currents along the eastern edges of ocean basins.

Thermohaline Circulation

Deep ocean currents driven by differences in water density, affected by temperature and salinity.

Salinity

The concentration of salts in water, affecting its density.

Density

Mass per unit volume, controlling buoyancy and movement in water.

Brackish Water

Water with a salinity between that of freshwater and seawater.

Anoxic Conditions

Conditions in which oxygen is absent, often harming marine life.

Eddies

Circular currents formed when water flows around an obstacle.

Surface Currents

Ocean currents that take place in the upper layer of the ocean, primarily driven by wind.

Subsurface Currents

Ocean currents beneath the surface, driven primarily by differences in water density.

Trade Winds

Persistent winds that blow from east to west in the tropics.

Westerlies

Winds that blow from west to east in the mid-latitudes.

Polar Winds

Winds that blow from the poles toward lower latitudes.

Atmospheric Pressure

The weight of air above a given point, exerted by the Earth's atmosphere.

Seas

Smaller, semi-enclosed saltwater bodies often influenced by land.

Mediterranean Sea

A specific sea with high evaporation rates leading to increased salinity.

Black Sea

A sea characterized by brackish surface water and anoxic bottom water.

Eulerian Method

A technique for measuring currents using stationary instruments.

Lagrangian Method

A technique for measuring currents using drifting instruments.

Convergence

When two currents meet, potentially causing upwelling.

Divergence

When currents move apart, potentially causing downwelling.

Pressure Gradient Force

The force that causes air to move from high-pressure to low-pressure areas.

Boiling Point

The temperature at which a liquid turns to vapor.

Doldrums

An equatorial region of calm winds where trade winds meet.

Thermocline

A layer in water bodies where temperature changes rapidly with depth.

Global Wind Circulation

The pattern of wind flow around the Earth, influenced by solar heating.

Equatorial Low Pressure

Low-pressure area located at the equator due to rising warm air.

Polar High Pressure

High-pressure area at the poles due to sinking cold air.

Volcanic Islands

Islands formed by volcanic activity, influencing local ocean currents.

Lithogenic Sediments

Sediments derived from the erosion of rocks, found in ocean basins.

Biogenic Sediments

Ocean sediments formed from the accumulation of biological materials.

Hydrogenous Sediments

Sediments formed from chemical precipitation from seawater.

Terrigenous Sediments

Sediments that originate from land, carried to the ocean by rivers.

Nutrient Cycling

The process by which nutrients move through the environment.

Marine Ecosystems

Communities of marine organisms and their environment.

Photic Zone

Layer of the ocean where sunlight is sufficient for photosynthesis.

Deep Sea

Part of the ocean below the photic zone where sunlight does not penetrate.

Seawater Density

Density variation in seawater due to temperature and salinity differences.

Benthic Zone

The ecological zone at the lowest level of a water body.

Pelagic Zone

The open sea zone, above the benthic zone.

Watershed

Area of land that drains into a particular body of water.

Estuary

A coastal area where freshwater from rivers meets saltwater from the ocean.

Bioaccumulation

Accumulation of substances, like pesticides, in the tissues of living organisms.

Biodiversity

The variety of life in a particular habitat or ecosystem.

Primary Production

The creation of organic compounds from atmospheric or aquatic carbon dioxide.

Upwelling Zones

Regions where cold, nutrient-rich waters rise to the surface.

Created Water Masses

Distinct layers of seawater formed by variations in temperature and salinity.

Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation

Part of the global conveyor belt of ocean currents in the Atlantic.

Climate Change Impact

Effects of climate change on ocean circulation and marine ecosystems.

AABW (Antarctic Bottom Water)

The densest water mass formed by cold ice formation in the Antarctic.

NADW (North Atlantic Deep Water)

Water mass that originates in the North Atlantic and is moderately salty and cold.

AIW (Arctic Intermediate Water)

Water mass formed in the subarctic regions that flows southward.

MIW (Mediterranean Intermediate Water)

Water mass produced in the Mediterranean Sea due to evaporation.

Surface Circulation

Movement of surface ocean water driven primarily by wind.

Temperature

A measure of the warmth or coldness of an environment.

Evaporation

The process by which water changes from a liquid to a gas.

Precipitation

Any form of water - liquid or solid - that falls from clouds.

Salinity Variations

Changes in salt concentration in ocean waters.

Water Masses

Distinct layers of seawater that can be identified by temperature and salinity.

Hydrosphere

The combined mass of water found on, under, and above the surface of a planet.

Climatology

The scientific study of climate, the long-term patterns and averages of weather.

Oceanography

The study of the ocean, including its ecosystems and physical properties.

Geostrophic Balance

The balance between the pressure gradient force and Coriolis effect in ocean currents.

Ekman Depth

The depth in the ocean where the influence of wind is fully transmitted.

Nutrient Upwelling

The process where deeper, nutrient-rich water rises to the surface.

Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC)

A process that generates energy by exploiting the temperature differences in the ocean.

Bioluminescence

The production and emission of light by living organisms.

Coral Reef Ecosystems

Diverse underwater ecosystems held together by calcium carbonate structures.

Photosynthesis

The process by which green plants and some organisms use sunlight to synthesize foods.

Oxygen Minimum Zone

Depth in the ocean where oxygen saturation is at its lowest.

Tsunami

A series of ocean waves caused by large underwater disturbances.

Albedo Effect

The measure of reflectivity of the Earth's surface.

Oligotrophic Waters

Waters low in nutrient supply and productivity.

Eutrophic Waters

Waters enriched in nutrients, leading to increased productivity.

Keeling Curve

Graph that plots the ongoing change in the concentration of carbon dioxide.

Anthropogenic Influence

Impact on the environment resulting from human activity.

Glacial Melting

The process of glaciers retreating due to rising temperatures.

Submarine Springs

Natural underwater springs that release freshwater into the ocean.

Ocean Gyres

Large circular ocean current systems driven by Earth's wind patterns.

Nitrogen Cycle

The series of processes by which nitrogen and its compounds are interconverted.

Ocean Frontal Boundaries

Zones where two water masses with different properties meet.

Greenhouse Effect

The warming of Earth's atmosphere due to trapped heat from the sun.

Climate Variability

Variations in climate that occur over a shorter period.