Open Oceans

Question 1

Which way is the Coriolis force deflected to in the Northern Hemisphere?

Answer 1

The right.

Question 2

Which way is the Coriolis force deflected to in the Southern Hemisphere?

Answer 2

The left.

Question 3

What does an Ekman Spiral create? Where does it face?

Answer 3

Ekman transport, and it always starts 45 degrees in the direction of the wind, and ends 180 degrees from the wind direction.

Question 4

How many gyres are there?

Answer 4

5.

Question 5

What is the inter-tropical convergence zone?

Answer 5

A belt of low pressure which circles the earth, where the trade winds of the Northern and Southern hemispheres come together.

Question 6

Where is evaporation less than precipitation?

Answer 6

Along the equator.

Question 7

Where are higher amounts of chlorophyll found in the surface ocean?

Answer 7

Along the equator due to equatorial upwelling when wind causes divergence of water.

Question 8

What are the approximate sizes of warm and cold core rings?

Answer 8

~1000km.

Question 9

What are major surface ocean currents driven by?

Answer 9

A combined effect of:
+Major global wind patterns (heating of the earth by the sun)
+Latitudinal variation in the Coriolis force.