Which of the following methods are used to measure ocean surface currents directly?

Ocean water is on the move, affecting your climate, your local ecosystem, and the seafood that you eat. Ocean currents, abiotic features of the environment, are continuous and directed movements of ocean water. These currents are on the ocean’s surface and in its depths, flowing both locally and globally.

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Which method would be most appropriate for directly measuring the flow rate of the Gulf Stream?

drift bottles. Drift or float bottles can be released into a current and tracked through time.

Which of the following methods are used to measure deep ocean currents directly?

Free-drifting Argo floats

Deep ocean currents are driven primarily by ________ .

Which swift-flowing surface current in a major subtropical gyre transports a large volume of warm water from the equator toward mid-latitudes?

Kuroshio Current. Western boundary currents are responsible for the mass transport of warm water toward the poles. The Kuroshio Current is the western boundary current in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre.

Surface ocean currents are driven primarily by ________ and modified by ________.

wind; the Coriolis effect and land

Surface currents form circular patterns in the major ocean basins called _____

Equatorial currents are driven by the:

Compared to an eastern boundary current in a gyre, what statements are true for a western boundary current?

narrower currentwarmer waterdeeper currentincreased current velocity

Which of the following is a western boundary current?

Compared to western boundary currents, eastern boundary currents are:

Which of the following is not an eastern boundary current?

Which type of current flow moves in a circular path around a subtropical convergence, reflecting Ekman transport, gravity, and the Coriolis effect?

the Ekman spiral is caused by

wind and the Coriolis effect

In the southern hemisphere, the direction of Ekman transport is always:

to the left of the wind direction

Western intensification causes:

a large volume of water to flow within western boundary currents.the center of the gyre to be shift to the west.very swift western boundary currents.a steeper slope of surface water in the western section of the gyre as compared to the eastern section of the gyre

Examine the five words and/or phrases and determine the relationship among the majority of words/phrases. Choose the one option that does not fit the pattern.West Australian CurrentCanary CurrentAgulhas CurrentCalifornia CurrentBenguela Current

Examine the five words and/or phrases and determine the relationship among the majority of words/phrases. Choose the one option that does not fit the pattern.Gulf StreamPeru CurrentKuroshio CurrentNorth Equatorial CurrentSomali Current

Examine the five words and/or phrases and determine the relationship among the majority of words/phrases. Choose the one option that does not fit the pattern.California CurrentNorth Atlantic CurrentNorth Equatorial CurrentCanary CurrentGulf Stream

Cold currents flowing ________ on the ________ sides of continents produce arid conditions.

toward the equator; western

Warm currents flowing ________ on the ________ sides of continents produce warm, humid conditions.

Deep-water currents move ________ volumes of water and are much ________ than surface currents.

An increase in seawater density can be caused by a ________ in temperature or a/an ________ in salinity.

The Gulf Stream is an example of which of the following types of currents?

The Peru (Humboldt) Current is an example of which of the following types of currents?

The West Wind Drift is an example of which of the following types of currents?

Southern Boundary Current

The South Equatorial Current is an example of which of the following types of currents?

The observation that ships and icebergs in the southern hemisphere float to the left of the wind direction is an example of which of the following?

Coastal winds can cause upwelling or downwelling due to which of the following?

Which of the following currents contributes to the South Eastern United States being humid?

Which of the following currents contributes to the South Western United States being arid?

statements about subtropical gyres

The centers of all subtropical gyres are associated with high atmospheric pressure.There are four main surface currents in each subtropical gyre.Globally, there are five subtropical gyres.The western boundary current of all subtropical gyres is intensified (it is fast, narrow, and deep).The rotation of each subtropical gyre causes a "hill" of water to pile up within it.

which surface currents transport large volumes of warm water to higher latitudes?

Brazil Current, the Gulf Stream, Kuroshio Current

true statements about Ekman spiral and Ekman transport

Ekman transport can result in both upwelling and downwelling.In the deeper layers of the Ekman spiral, water can move in a direction opposite of the wind direction.The Coriolis effect causes surface waters to move at an angle relative to the wind direction.Ekman transport is to the right of the wind direction in the Northern Hemisphere.

movement of water from the top to the bottom of the water column

water flow driven by gravity and modified by the Coriolis effect

movement of water from the bottom to the top of the water column

net water movement to the left or right of the direction of the wind

Diverging surface waters are areas of ________ and ________ productivity.

Surface waters are pushed away from land and replaced by nutrient-rich bottom water through:

Converging surface waters are areas of ________ and ________ productivity.

where would upwelling be expected to occur?

Where there is a sharp bend in a coastlineWhere seamounts or tablemounts are presentIn areas of diverging surface currents

In a severe warm phase, fisheries' productivity on the west coasts of the Americas is dramatically reduced. Which stage of ENSO would come just before this fisheries collapse?

The thermocline deepens in eastern boundary currents of the Pacific Ocean subtropical gyres.The last developmental stage of an ENSO warm phase prevents upwelling of cold, nutrient-rich water that normally supports the growth of the algae (phytoplankton), which fishes such as sardines and anchovies feed upon.

a steep temperature gradient in the ocean that separates deeper cold water from warmer upper water

What is the Walker Circulation Cell?

It is the path that air takes as it moves from high to low pressure, and back to high pressure, in the South Pacific under normal conditions.

Why does upwelling occur along the west coast of South America under normal conditions?

Winds moving westward in the South Pacific drive ocean currents toward the west; deep water rises to replace water driven westward.

What would you expect weather to be like on the eastern coast of Australia if the western coast of South America were experiencing unusually warm, wet weather?

The eastern coast of Australia would be experiencing unusually dry weather.

Which direction do ocean currents in the South Pacific move under El Niño conditions?

What is the Southern Oscillation?

the swapping of high and low pressure zones in the South Pacific under El Niño conditions

What is the overall effect of the stronger than normal trade winds typical of La Niña conditions?

lowering of the South Pacific ocean temperature from normal conditions

Under which conditions are droughts and wildfires common in Australia?

1. Palm trees associated with the subtropics can be found at the northern tip of the British Isles in Scotland. This is due to the transfer of heat from the_______________.

___________ is caused by density changes near the poles and equator.

3. Waters along the California coast are colder than those along the mid-Atlantic shore of the U.S. because _____________occurs as surface waters move away from the coast.

4. Freezing seawater at ____________ leads to increases in salinity and density.

Higher sea levels in the eastern Pacific Ocean associated with warmer waterIncreased abundance of hurricanes in the eastern Pacific OceanIncrease in sea surface temperatures and destruction of coral reefs in the eastern Pacific Ocean

Which of the following is the only current that completely circumscribes Earth?

Examine the five words and/or phrases and determine the relationship among the majority of words/phrases. Choose the one option that does not fit the pattern.Australian droughtdecreased fish stock in coastal PeruPeruvian upwelling stopsstrong trade windsflooding rains in southeastern United States

The El Niño Southern Oscillation can best be described as:

the relationship between sea surface temperature and changing atmospheric pressure.

During winter months, monsoon winds over the Indian Ocean:

flow from land to sea and are dry

The deepest and densest water mass in the world ocean is formed in the __________________.

Southern Ocean. Antarctic Bottom Water (AABW) forms and sinks as winter freezing produces very cold, briny or salty water.

A large system of rotating ocean currents, usually driven by the major wind belts, is called a(n) __________.

The current in the northwestern part of the North Atlantic Subtropical Gyre that transports warm water toward the North Atlantic is called the __________.

The loss of heat from the ocean surface, resulting in a lowered temperature, causes ocean water to become __________.

A deep and powerful southward subsurface current that flows under the Gulf Stream in the North Atlantic is the __________.

North Atlantic Deep Water

Thermohaline circulation in the ocean is driven primarily by differences in __________ and __________ among water masses.

Which force(s) drive(s) water circulation in the deep ocean?

differences in water density, salinity, and temperature.

Why is Antarctic Bottom Water so dense?

Which process causes downwelling off the coast of Antarctica?

Thermohaline circulation is driven by:

Compared to Antarctic Bottom Water, North Atlantic Deep Water is ________.

Deep-water circulation brings oxygen from the surface to the deep ocean because of:

greater dissolution of oxygen in colder water than warmer water.

Records indicate that the ocean is warming faster in the Arctic polar regions than elsewhere. If that continues, a possible consequence could be __________.

slowing of deep ocean circulation, resulting in lower oxygen levels in deep water

the slowing of deep ocean circulation, resulting in lower oxygen levels in deep water, is a concern for ocean and climate scientists for what reasons?

This is a concern of ocean and climate scientists for two reasons. Warming of the Arctic is causing glacial ice on the land areas to melt and increase fresh water flow into the ocean. Fresh water, being less dense, resists sinking. In addition (even if there were no change in salinity), warmer seawater does not sink as readily as cold water to feed the deep-water circulation, so the "conveyor belt" may slow down. The warmer water would contain less dissolved oxygen, which could limit the amount of animal life in both the deep ocean and in surface areas where deep ocean water upwells.

statements about deep-ocean currents

Deep-ocean currents contain water with high oxygen concentrations.Deep-ocean currents are initiated near Antarctica and in the North Atlantic Ocean, where cold, dense water sinks.Deep-ocean currents transport a volume of water equal to that of 100 Amazon-size rivers.Deep-ocean currents are important regulators of global climate.Deep-ocean circulation is referred to as thermohaline flow.