Module 11 APES

quiz 12/2 - note to self: some quiz qs online are added

What drives ocean currents?

Hint: TGPCSL

Temperature, gravity, prevailing winds, Coriolis effect, salinity, and location of the continents.

Which region gets the MOST direct sunlight?

The tropics

Where is water pushed in the Northern hemisphere?

(Direction)

Northeast —>Southwest (NE-SW)

Where is water pushed due to the Coriolis effect in the Northern hemisphere?

East —> West (E-W)

What direction CW or CCW do ocean currents move in between the Northern & Southern hemisphere and equator

Northern: CW

Southern: CCW

Gyres

The patterns of water that move clockwise in the Northern hemisphere but CCW in the Southern hemisphere.

What function do gyres carry out?

Help to redistribute HEAT in the ocean

Upwelling

Upward movement of water to the surface that bring nutrients from the bottom of the ocean to support producers.

Thermohaline circulation

Drives the mixing of SURFACE and DEEP water.

Why is thermohaline circulation important?

It helps to redistribute heat and nutrients globally.

What do ocean currents associated with thermohaline circulation affect?

Temperature of nearby landmasses like gyres that affect surface water.

What change could affect thermohaline circulation? Why would this be harmful?

Climate change or global warming would decrease the salinity of the North Atlantic waters making it LESS likely to sink. This could make W Europe a colder place because warm water is not redistributed via thermohaline circulation.

El Nino

A reversal of the tropical currents every 3-7 years in the opposite direction in the South Pacific.

When does El Nino occur and at what date?

It occurs every 3-7 years around Dec. 25th

What are the consequences or implications of El Nino?

(1) Reduces upwelling along S America’s coast = reduces fish population.

(2) Impacts weather: SE US gets cooler and wetter conditions whereas S Africa and SE Asia get dry weather. (This impacts CROP yields and can cause deaths in developing countries.)

What are ocean currents driven by?

Also can be written as: What are the oceanic circulation patterns the result of?

1) temperature 2) gravity 3) prevailing winds 4) the Coriolis effect 5) the locations of continents

Each of the five major ocean basins contains a gyre. What are gyres driven by?

Trade winds in the tropics and the westerlies at mid-latitudes.

What direction is the circulation in the Northern Hemisphere? Southern Hemisphere?

Clockwise circulation; counterclockwise circulation

Along the west coasts of many continents, currents diverge and cause the _____________ of deeper and more fertile water.

upwelling

The density of water is controlled by its _________________

Warm water, like warm air _____ and _____.

Expands; Rises

What are the results of upwelling?

This upward movement of water brings nutrients from the ocean bottom that supports large populations of producers, which in turn support large populations of fish.

Which of the following does NOT drive ocean currents?

Precipitation

High productivity and nutrient availability in the ocean occurs in areas with ________________

Upwelling

Climate change could potentially disrupt which one of the following phenomena?

Thermohaline circulation

Which of the following is NOT true of an El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) event?

It causes increased upwelling on the coast of South America.

Gyres do all of the following EXCEPT __________________.

Redistribute nutrients from the deep ocean