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Physical Geography 1000 > Atmospheric teleconnections and ocean > Flashcards

Atmospheric teleconnections and ocean Flashcards

1
Q

global circulation is driven by

A

the unequal heating of earth’s surface

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2
Q

thermo disequilibrium

A

the idea that if air is warmer then the surrounding air then that warm air will float

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3
Q

gases that are ____ _(light or heavy) float higher

A

lighter

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4
Q

gases that are ____ _(light or heavy) float lower

A

heavy

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5
Q

jetstream

A

boundaries between hot and cold air (separates fronts)

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6
Q

fronts

A

the transition zone between two different air masses at the Earth’s surface (each air mass has unique temperature and humidity characteristics)

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7
Q

trade winds

A

winds converging at the equatorial low

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8
Q

were are trade winds often found

A

in the tropical zone

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9
Q

air must ____ in order to have rainfall

A

rise

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10
Q

examples of trade winds

A
  1. Northeast trades
  2. Hadley cells
  3. doldrums
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11
Q

were are Northeast trade winds found

A

northern hemisphere

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12
Q

Hadley cells

A

air and wind moving between subtropics and the ITCZ

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13
Q

doldrums

A

equatorial calms where the wind is displaced upwards

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14
Q

is there wind in doldrums

A

NO

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15
Q

where do doldrums often happen

A

at the equator

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16
Q

Rossby waves are found

A

in the westerly flow of geostrophic winds

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17
Q

motion of Rossby waves

A

great waving undualtions

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18
Q

where do Rossby waves occur

A

along the polar front (where colder air meets warmer air)

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19
Q

where do Rossby waves occur

A

along the polar front (where the colder air meets warmer air)

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20
Q

what happens to Rossby waves at they mature

A

circulation patterns form where warmer and colder air mix along distinct fronts

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21
Q

what is associated with the position of jet streams

A

Rossby waves

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22
Q

jet streams

A

bands of fast wind occurring at several different locations

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23
Q

what do jet streams influence

A

surface weather systems

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24
Q

when do jet streams weaken

A

summer

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25
Q

when do jet streams strengthen

A

winter

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26
Q

two examples of jet streams

A
  1. polar jet stream (PFJ)
  2. subtropical jet stream (STJ)
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27
Q

polar jet stream (PFJ) meanders between

A

30 degrees and 70 degrees North

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28
Q

Subtropical jet stram (STJ)

A

subtropical latitudes near the boundary between tropical and mid-latitude

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29
Q

Subtropical jet stream meanders

A

from 20 degrees to 50 degrees North

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30
Q

what jet stream is shown by the triangle

A

polar jet stream

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31
Q

what jet stream is shown by the rectangle

A

subtropical jet stream

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32
Q

1

A

equatorial low

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33
Q

2

A

tropical tropopause

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34
Q

3

A

midlatitude tropopause

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35
Q

4

A

subtropical jet stream

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36
Q

5

A

subtropical high

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37
Q

6

A

trade winds

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38
Q

7

A

polar jet stream

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39
Q

8

A

westerlies

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40
Q

9

A

arctic tropopause

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41
Q

10

A

polar front

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42
Q

where does the rising air of the equatorial low move

A

poleward until the subtropical jet stream

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43
Q

what makes up the Hadley cell

A
  1. equatorial low with its rising air
  2. equatorial low winds moving polewards
  3. equatorial low winds reaching the subtropical jet stream and falling
  4. from the subtropical high
  5. winds travel from subtropical high to equatorial low
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44
Q

does falling air have rain

A

NO

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45
Q

some of the rising equatorial low moves past the subtropical jet stream to the

A

polar jet stream

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46
Q

are the westerlies extratropical or tropical

A

extratropical

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47
Q

three tropopauses in the global atmospheric circulation patterns

A
  1. tropical tropopause
  2. midlatitude tropopause
  3. arctic tropopause
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48
Q

what jet stream has MORE power

A

polar jet stream

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49
Q

the polar jet stream NORTH of us creates

A

warm conditions

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50
Q

the polar jet stream SOUTH of us creates

A

cold conditions

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51
Q

what is associated with the equatorial low

A

clouds and rain

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52
Q

what is associated with the subtropical high

A

hot, dry desert air

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53
Q

what is associated with the midlatitude circulation

A

cool and moist air

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54
Q

what is associated with polar circulation

A

frigid, dry desert air

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55
Q

what does the steep face of the advancing cold air mass reflect

A

the ground-hugging nature of cold air

56
Q

what happens to warm moist air when it meets a cold front

A

lifts upwards abruptly

57
Q

what shape is a cold front depicted as

A

a line with triangular spikes that point in the direction it is moving

58
Q

what is the shape of a cold front

A

convex shape

59
Q

is a cold front long or short distances

A

short

60
Q

what kind of precipitation is expected in a cold front

A

intense precipitation (thunder) but with a short duration

61
Q

where can warm air masses be carried and how

A

by jet steams into regions with colder air

62
Q

can the leading edge of a warm air mass displace cooler air

A

NO

63
Q

why cannot warm air displace colder air

A

colder air is more dense then warmer air

64
Q

what happens to the colder air when met with a warm front

A

it is pushed under to form a wedge shape

65
Q

_____ air slides up over _____ air in warm front

A

warm over cold

66
Q

what kind of clouds are formed in a cold front

A

cumulonimbus (puffy rain/thunder cloud)

67
Q

warm fronts are large or short distances

A

large

68
Q

what is the shape of a warm front

A

wedge shape

69
Q

true or false
a warm front is faster then a cold front

A

false - its slower

70
Q

what kind of precipitation can be expected from a warm front

A

low intensity but long duration

71
Q

precipitation is caused by

A

displaced air vertically

72
Q

true or false
atmospheric and oceanic systems are intimately connected

A

true

73
Q

how are atmospheric and oceanic systems connected

A

the driving force for ocean currents is the frictional drag of the winds

74
Q

what are other important forces that shape ocean currents

A
  1. Coriolis force
  2. density differences caused by temp and salinity
  3. configuration of the continents and ocean floor
  4. astronomical forces that cause tides
75
Q

examples of ocean currents

A
  1. surface currents
  2. equatroial currents
  3. thermohaline circulation (deep currents)
76
Q

true or false
ocean current flow is deflected by the Coriolis force

A

true

77
Q

how does the deflection of ocean currents due to the Coriolis force differ compared to atmospheres

A

they are NOT as tightly circular

78
Q

where are ocean currents driven by the atmospheric circulation

A

around subtropical HIGH PRESSURE cells

79
Q

oceanic circulation system is known as

A

gyres

80
Q

how do winds and oceans move in the Northern Hemisphere compared to Southern Hemisphere

A

NH - move clockwise about high-pressure cells
SH - the opposite

81
Q

equatorial currents

A

trade winds drive the ocean surface waters westward in a concentrated channel along the equator

82
Q

why do equatorial currents remain near the equator

A

because of the weakness of the Coriolis force

83
Q

western intensification

A

as surface currents approach the western margin of the oceans, the water piles up against the eastern shores of these continents

84
Q

how does water pile up

A

by water taking place of the water that had become displaced

85
Q

where does piled-up water go

A

spilling northward and southward in strong currents

86
Q

upwelling current

A
  1. where surface water is swept AWAY from a coast
87
Q

what can cause upwelling currents

A
  1. surface divergence
  2. offshore wind
88
Q

____ water is generally rich in nurtients

A

cool

89
Q

downwelling current

A

occur in areas of ACCUMULATION of water

90
Q

where can downwelling currents occur (example)

A

western end of an equatorial current

91
Q

what do the upwelling and downwelling flows redistribute

A

heat energy and salinity over the globe

92
Q

thermohaline circulation AKA

A

deep currents

93
Q

what is known as the thermohaline circulation

A

differences in temp and salinity produces density differences important to the flow of deep currents on Earth

94
Q

what happens when warm, salty air mixes with cold water of the Arctic Ocean

A

the air cools, increases in density and shrinks

95
Q

atmospheric teleconnections

A

climate anomalies are related to each other at LARGE DISTANCES

96
Q

what is the main point of atmospheric teleconnections

A

something that happens far away influences the weather patterns in another area far away

97
Q

what are atmospheric teleconnections linked to

A

ocean currents and surface weather

98
Q

regional oscillations in global circulation patterns can cause ________ lasting long or short periods of time

A

fluctuations in temp and air pressure

99
Q

most famous oscillation

A

El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO)

100
Q

what is associated with the ENSO

A
  1. shifting of air pressure
  2. shifting of winds
  3. shifting of sea surface temps (SST)
101
Q

what was influenced by the ENSO

A

marine ecosystems
global precipitation
storm movement

102
Q

what is the norm in equatorial Pacific

A

consistent trade winds drag warm surface waters AWAY from the South American coast = upwelling of colder nutrient rich water from below

103
Q

what does El Nino look like in the equatorial Pacific

A

a periodic warming of coastal temps that temporarily lowers the productivity of local fisheries

104
Q

if there is no upwelling cold current then there is

A

less fish

105
Q

can pressure patterns and surface ocean temps shift from their usual locations

A

yes

106
Q

what happens when winds and ocean currents no longer pull warm surface water westward

A

the thermocline lowers in-depth and upwelling stops

107
Q

when do ENSO roughly occur

A

every 3 to 7 years

108
Q

true or false
intensity and frequency of ENSO events _____ during 20th century

A

increased

109
Q

what is the opposite of El Nino

A

La Nina

110
Q

La Nina AKA

A

ENSO cool phase

111
Q

El Nino AKA

A

warm phase

112
Q

La Nina

A

when the surface waters in the central and eastern pacific COOL to below normal by 0.4 degrees Celcius

113
Q

small temp changes can have

A

large climate impacts

114
Q

La Nina compared to El Nino

A

weaker and less consistent

115
Q

what has ENSO been linked to

A

intense weather
short-term climate effects across the globe

116
Q

what are some correlations with El Nino

A
  1. droughts
  2. strong hurricanes
  3. heavy percipitation
117
Q

Atlantic hurricane season ____ during El Nino

A

weakens

118
Q

what are 5 global circulation patterns

A
  1. polar high
  2. subpolar low
  3. subtropical high
  4. ITCZ
  5. Hadley cell
119
Q

what front is represented with blue triangles

A

cold fronts

120
Q

what front gets more violent weather

A

cold fronts

121
Q

when do we see fronts in Lethbridge

A

winter (don’t have many in summer - not many lP systems)

122
Q

what are surface currents impacted by

A

wind and Coriolis force

123
Q

is there a layer in the ocean that does NOT interact with the wind

A

YES- the deeper you go

124
Q

where are the five main gyres

A

2 in Atlatic and Pacific
1 in the Indian

125
Q

western intensification on western side has water come from

A

nN to S

126
Q

in downwelling how does the water get warmer

A

with depth

127
Q

upwelling or downwelling is nutrients rich

A

upwelling

128
Q

salinity

A

concentration of dissolved solids (

129
Q

average salinity is

A

3.5%

130
Q

what happens to salt as ocean water evaporates

A

it is left behind and increases salinity

131
Q

where is salinity the highest

A

at the equator

132
Q

why is salinity highest at the equator

A

most dense

133
Q

brine

A

has high evaporation = very salty

134
Q

brackish

A

mix of ocean and freshwater with freshwater inputs

135
Q

what drives thermohaline

A

salinity and temp (density)

136
Q

where is the most dense water found

A

Greenland

Physical Geography 1000 (21 decks)

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