Atmospheric Circulation, Ocean Circulation, and Climate Interactions

Vocabulary flashcards covering atmospheric circulation, ocean surface circulation, thermohaline circulation, ocean-atmosphere interactions, and human impacts on climate systems.

Atmosphere

The layers of gas surrounding a planet.

Ozone ($O_{3}$)

Atmospheric gas that deflects harmful solar ultraviolet radiation.

Greenhouse Gas

Gases (water vapor, $CO_{2}$, $CH_{4}$, $N_{2}O$) that trap heat in the atmosphere.

Isotope

Different atomic forms of an element (same protons, different neutrons) whose ratios are altered by environmental factors.

Aerosol

Microscopic particles injected into the atmosphere (e.g., from volcanic activity).

Coriolis Effect

The tendency of objects moving large distances over Earth's surface to bend right in the northern hemisphere and left in the southern hemisphere.- due to the shape of the earth they bend a certain way because it is actually faster

Convection Cell

A heat-driven circulation pattern resulting when fluid/air transfers heat vertically and horizontally.

Trade Winds

Steady winds blowing from east to west toward the Equator.

Westerlies

Mid-latitude winds that blow from west to east.

Polar Easterlies

Variable wind belts blowing at high latitudes.

Ekman Spiral

The spiral change in water movement direction through a water column pushed by wind.

Ekman Layer

The upper portion of the water column directly affected by wind force.

Ekman Transport

The net movement of water at $90^{\circ}$ from the prevailing wind direction.

Equatorial Currents

Major ocean currents moving parallel to the Equator.

Gyre

A large, nearly circular system of wind-driven surface currents centered around $30^{\circ}$ latitude.

Upwelling

The upward movement of deep, colder, nutrient-rich water to the surface.

Monsoon

Seasonal winds in the northern Indian Ocean changing directions between summer and winter.

Thermocline

A vertical zone in the water column displaying a rapid, sudden change in temperature with depth.

Stable Column

A water column structured safely with less-dense water floating on top of dense water.

Overturn

The sinking process when surface water becomes denser than underlying layers.

Downwelling

Sinking of cold, dense surface water down to the deep layer.

Water Mass

A large body of ocean water identifiable by a unique combination of temperature and salinity.

Thermohaline Circulation

Ocean circulation entirely driven by density differences resulting from variations in temperature (thermo) and salinity (haline). - AKA deep sea circulation

Great Ocean Conveyor Belt

A global thermohaline circulation loop where overturn sinks in the North Atlantic and around Antarctica, driving a deep current that slowly cycles water through all ocean basins on a $1{,}000$-year timescale.

Gulf Stream

A powerful boundary current carrying heat from the tropics up the U.S. East Coast before turning toward Europe, giving Western Europe a significantly milder climate.

Oscillation

Cyclical, repeating changes in ocean and atmospheric circulation that alter climate.

El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO)

Large-scale coupled ocean-atmosphere atmospheric pressure and current shifts in the Pacific Ocean.

La Niña

The opposite extreme of El Niño, bringing intensified normal conditions.

Cyclonic Storm

Rotating storm systems generated over warm tropical water (hurricanes, typhoons, cyclones).

Storm Surge

Massive walls of water that flood coastal zones when a cyclonic storm makes landfall.

Ocean Acidification

The process by which the oceans absorb roughly $30\%$ of human $CO_{2}$ emissions, directly lowering pH levels and harming marine life that constructs carbonate-based shells.

Warming Signal

A consistent variation in temperature measured continuously over a long period of time.

Thermal Expansion

The physical expansion of water molecules as they absorb heat and increase in temperature.

Permafrost

A thick layer of polar soil that remains frozen year-round.

Albedo

The reflectivity of the Earth's surface; high albedo surfaces (like white ice caps) reflect solar energy safely back out to space.