Oceanography Part 1

Which of the following locations represents the null point in regard to ocean currents?

C

Which of the following locations best represents the Ekman spiral current?

D

With height, wind speed in the atmosphere would _______________. With depth, the effect of wind on the water column would
_________________.

increase; decrease

In the Northern Hemisphere cold currents tend to flow from the ____________. In the Southern Hemisphere warm currents tend to flow from the ________________:

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In the Northern Hemisphere warm currents tend to flow from the ____________. In the Southern Hemisphere cold currents tend to flow from the ________________.

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Where on the map is the center of high pressure influencing ocean currents with clockwise circulation?

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Where on the map is the center of high pressure influencing ocean currents with a counterclockwise circulation?

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The air above this current is characterized by extremely strong pressure gradients and relative lack of land interruptions which induce extremely strong westerly winds.

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All of the following are cold currents, EXCEPT

North Equatorial Current.

All of the following are warm currents, EXCEPT:

Canary Current.

Which of the following shows the location of the Humboldt Current?

B

Which of the following shows the location of the Gulf Stream?

A

In regard to sea surface temperature (SST), as one travels toward the poles SST

decreases

Sea Surface Temperatures (SST) are warmest

at the subtropics because descending air promotes clear skies.

As a result of cold currents, July SST’s are coldest

on the west coasts of continents.

Sea Surface Temperatures (SST’s) are typically warmest

on the western sides of oceans.

All of the following impact sea surface temperature (SST) EXCEPT:

currents moving cold water away from poles on the western sides of oceans.

At point __________ on this graph, the density of water begin to decrease. The temperature at this point is _______.

D; 4°C

Which of the following statements about water is true?

At temperatures above 4°C, warmer water will rise.

Once salt is dissolved in water the:

positively charged sodium cation is surrounded by the negative side of encircling water molecules.

Water’s salinity can be increased by

ice freezing

The dominant control in global sea surface temperature (SST) is

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Where on the following world map are the highest salinities?

A

Where on the following world map are the lowest salinities?

D

A cross section of the ocean from its surface to the seafloor shows

less dense, warmer water overlying denser, colder water.

In regard to ocean salinity, temperature, and density:

ice formation in polar zones increases salinity and density

Warm oceanic pools form in areas of

rising, unstable air where much latent heat is released.

The world’s largest warm pool is located at

B

In polar areas

as ice forms, water’s salinity increases, density increases.

All of the following factors would contribute to water to sinking at the poles EXCEPT:

melting ice

Which of the following conditions would MOST cause water to rise to the surface?

warming freshwater

Decreasing salinities and lower density, water near the equator is due to

unstable conditions creating abundant rain.

Subtropical waters are typically more saline than equatorial waters because of

high evaporation, low precipitation.

Which of the following conditions would MOST cause water to rise to the surface?

warming freshwater

Subtropical waters are typically more saline than equatorial waters because of

high evaporation, low precipitation.

Mid-latitude waters are generally fresher than polar or subtropical zones because

less evaporation, more frontal precipitation.

Which of the following locations is associated with a zone of upwelling for the Antarctic Bottom Waters (AABW)?

A

The distribution of warm pools can best be explained by warm

westward flowing water accumulating on the eastern side of landmasses.

Which of the following letters best represents a location where sinking air in a Walker cell is most typical?

D

In the Pacific Ocean, Walker cell circulation is associated with

westward surface winds moving toward the Pacific warm pool.

The term "El Nino" phenomena in December in Peru is a term used to explain

warming of an otherwise cold current which brings heavy rain and flooding.

The waters off the coast of Peru are normally

cold because of a current bring cold water from the south and upwelling conditions.

In regard to the Southern Oscillation, when

pressures are high in Darwin, pressures are lower in Tahiti.

Positive phases of El Nino will bring

heavy rain to Southeast Asia and Australia.

Upwelling would be strongest off the coast of Peru during

La Nina

During the warm phase of ENSO, warmest waters are found along the

equator in the eastern Pacific, west of South America.

The thermocline would be expected to be closest to the surface off the western coast of south America during

La Nina

El Nino would bring the warm pool and associated convective rainfall to

C

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