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Intro to Oceans
For midterm 2, covering thermohaline circulation, tides, waves, sediments, estuaries, coasts, and beaches.
52
Environmental Studies
Undergraduate 2
11/01/2011

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Cards

Term
What are the three stratified layers of the ocean and by what are they defined?
Definition
Surface zone (also mixed layer), pycnocline, deep zone. Defined by density.
Term
Which of the three Washington DC, England, or San Francisco has the warmest summer and why?
Definition
Washington DC, heat and moisture from the Gulf Stream.
Term
What is the result of wind blowing water horizontally?
Definition
Water comes up to replace the displaced water- this is upwelling
Term
Where is some of the most nutrient poor water and why?
Definition
In the open tropical ocean, strong layering isolates deep nutrient rich water
Term
What effect does downwelling have on the climate?
Definition
No direct effect
Term
What is Langmuir circulation?
Definition
Vortexes on the surface of the water (rarely disturbs ocean below 20 meters)
Term
How often do the direction of the winds across the tropical Pacific reverse direction in the Southern Oscillation?
Definition
Irregular intervals of 3-8 years
Term
How long does a typical El Nino last?
Definition
A year, although some have lasted more than three
Term
How do ENSO events affect life around Peru?
Definition
The Peru current slows due to reversed flow of water reduces upwelling, reducing fish and seabirds.
Term
Okay...there are now five layers of the ocean. What are all five?
Definition
Surface water, Central Water, Intermediate Water, Deep Water, Bottom water
Term
What is the mixing and sinking process called?
Definition
CABALLSACKZZZZZZZ
jk caballing
Term
Name the deep water masses.
Definition
Antarctic bottom water, north atlantic bottom deep water, Mediterranean deep water
Term
Order the waves from smallest to biggest with typical wavelength.
Definition
Capillary (up to 1.72cm), wind wave (60-150m), seiche (large, variable), seismic sea (200km), tide (half earth's circumference)
Term
What are signs of El Nino?
Definition
- Weakening Trade
Winds
- Increased Sea Surface
Temperature in the
Eastern Equatorial Pacific
-positive Oceanic Nino Index of positive .5 or more
Term
What are signs of El Nina?
Definition
- Increased Strength of
Trade Winds
- Cooler Sea Surface
Temperatures in the
Eastern Equatorial Pacific
- negative ONI -.5 or less
Term
What is ONI?
Definition
Oceanic Nino Index- based on the sea surface temperature difference from El Nino average 3.4 region.
Term
What makes an element conservative or nonconservative?
Definition
Elements that vary little in their profile are conservative. Non conservative means they change their redistribution faster than ocean mixing time of 1500 years
Term
Why more O2
and
less Si, N, P, in deepest
water at 6 km
Definition
I don't know........
Term
What are the 4 parts of the Air Sea Heat Budget?
Definition
Short wave (solar) in, long wave (blackbody, IR) out, sensible (due to T difference) in or out, latent heat (cooling due to evaporation) out
Term
In what six seas does deep water form?
Definition
Sea of okthosk, labrador, greenland and norwegian, mediterranean sea, wedell sea, ross sea
Term
What are two equations for a deep water wave?
Definition
C=L/T, C=sqrt(gL/2pi) or 1.251(sqrtL)
Term
What's the equation for shallow water waves?
Definition
sqrt(g)d, 3.1d
Term
Which of the two major oceans is older and what does that imply?
Definition
The Pacific is older, it's saturation horizon is shallower
Term
What classifies a deep water wave?
Definition
depth is greater than half it's length
Term
what makes a shallow water wave?
Definition
depth is less than its length/20
Term
What waves are affected by the Coriolis effect?
Definition
All waves with periods over 20 seconds
Term
Why are south bay tides greater than golden gate tides?
Definition
basin resonance
Term
what is the disturbing force of a seiche?
Definition
change in atmospheric pressure, storm surge
Term
what are three disturbing forces of tsunamis?
Definition
faulting of sea floor, volcanic eruption, landslide
Term
Are most tides diurnal or semidiurnal and what does it mean?
Definition
Most tides are semidiurnal. They peak twice in a day
Term
When do waves start to break?
Definition
when depth is shallower than wavelength/2
Term
What is a drowned river mouth?
Definition
type of estuary formed when sea level rose into river mouths
Term
Fjords
Definition
Estuary formed when glaciers eroded u shaped trophs below sea level, deep w/steep sides
Term
Bar built
Definition
barrier islands/spit limit water intrusion. these are shallow, and mixed by wind
Term
tectonic
Definition
estuary formed by faulting or subsidence leads to coastal indentation
Term
Describe mixing scenario salt wedge
Definition
caused by rapid freshwater flow, tidal influence low to mod.
Term
describe well mixed
Definition
slow freshwater flow, mod to high tidal influence. tidal turbalence, mixes well
Term
partially mixed
Definition
rapid freshwater flow, mod to high tidal influence. freshwater comes in goes a little on top
Term
fjord
Definition
rapid freshwater, little tidal influence
Term
How old are the oldest sediments?
Definition
200 million ya
Term
What are five important factors in forming sediments?
Definition
tectonic setting, proximity to continents, rate of production/delivery of material, rate of dissolution, chemical precipitation rates
Term
How do we learn about sediments?
Definition
sounding weights, echo sounders
Term
At what size does sedimentation occur?
Definition
sand and smaller
Term
at what temperature does biotic production of CAco3 occur?
Definition
5 degree celsius or higher
Term
what affects caco3 solubility and how does it affect it?
Definition
it increases with decreasing t and increasing p
Term
How does respiration affect the pH of the deep sea?
Definition
Lowers the pH
Term
What does CCCD stand for?
Definition
Calcium Carbonate Compensation Depth where rate of delivery equals rate of dissolution
Term
What are the two forms of CaCo3?
Definition
Calcite and aragonite
Term
Is calcium conservative or nonconservative?
Definition
conservative
Term
where are calcite and aragonite supersaturated?
Definition
calcite= shallower than 700m
aragonite= shallower than 500m
Term
What are examples of siliceous organisms?
Definition
Diatoms and radiolaria
Term
What are some calcareous organisms and what do their shells tell us?
Definition
Coccolithophores, foraminifera and pteropods. Shells show temperature and chemical conditions of water. climate recorders.
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