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Final PhysO Exam

Terms in this set (46)

What are the different types of temperature?
In-situ and potential temperature
What is the difference between in-situ and potential temperature?
in-situ temperature is measured and potential temperature is the temperature with out the influence of pressure. If temperature is measured at the surface to be 25 Celsius then both the insitu and potential will be 25. At depth insitu might change but potential will remain the same as it was at the surface.
At depth which is higher in-situ or potential?
In-situ is higher always unless at the surface
Different types of density?
-In-situ
-Sigma-T
-Potential
What is the difference between in-situ and sigma-T density?
There is a massive difference between in-situ and sigma-T because there is no pressure.
What is the difference between the sigma-T and potential?
Very small sigma-T and potential are both measured without the presence of pressure. potential is measured without temperature. The difference between the two is very small because of this relationship. The temperature has a smaller effect on density than pressure.
what is sigma-T?
sigma-T is the density of a water parcel if it were to rise adiabatically. no effects from pressure
what is potential density?
the density a water parcel would have when it is moved adiabatically to a fixed reference pressure (P). also neglects the effects of pressure on temperature.
What is stabilty?
It is the measure of the water column's tendency to move vertically.
what is the difference between a stable water column and an instable one?
Stable water column there is no vertical movement.
Instable water column there is vertical movement.
What is the most stable part of the water column?
the thermocline.
When does a water column become instable?
when work is added. It takes more work to move across isopycnals.
How does the water column become stable?
rapid changes in density, more isopycnals the higher the stability
What is continuity?
The conservation of mass in a system, mass is conserved by the adjustment of a flow.
What can the continuity equation be used for?
It can be used to describe the movement of any conservative property of advection.
How do the Oceans conserve mass?
Mass is conserved by adjusting flows of currents in the Ocean. the 3-D continuity equation represents this relationship.
What is vorticity?
The measure of the spin or rotation of water or air parcels.
Positive vorticity is created by what rotation?
Counterclockwise rotation of eddies, in the NH this is anticyclonic flow, and in the SH this is cyclonic flow.
Negative vorticity is created by what rotation?
Clockwise rotation of eddies, in the NH this is cyclonic flow, and in the SH this is anticyclonic flow.
What is the relationship between absolute vorticity and depth?
As depth increase absolute vorticity increases, as depth decreases absolute vorticity decreases.
A current flowing east and flows over an underwater canyon. if you were to monitor the current describe three changes you will see.
a) the current will move north (planetary vorticity increases).
b) the southern and eastern sides will speed up
c) the current with curve north (counterclockwise flow turn).
Eddies drifting east what would result in the eddies moving closer to the poles?
An anticyclonic Eddy in the NH moving over an underwater canyon.
an anticyclonic eddy in the SH moving over a seamount.
Eddies drifting east what would result in the eddies moving closer to the equator?
An anticyclonic eddy in the NH moving over a seamount.
an anticyclonic eddy in the SH moving over a underwater canyon.
A current flowing west and flows over an underwater canyon. if you were to monitor the current describe three changes you will see.
...
The inertial balance balance is between what two forces?
Coriolis and acceleration
The hydrostatic balance is between what two forces?
Pressure gradient and gravity
The geostrophic balance is between what two forces?
Pressure gradient and Coriolis
The Ekman balance is between what two forces?
Coriolis and wind stress
What kind of motion is caused by the Hydrostatic balance?
Vertical
How does geostrophic flow move in reference to isobars?
parallel, with high pressure on the right in the Northern Hemisphere
The peak of a sea surface slope is associated with what type of pressure?
High pressure
The depression of a sea surface slope is associated with what type of pressure?
Low pressure
A western current in the NH in geostrophic balance will flow in which direction?
North, with high pressure on the right side and low pressure on the left.
An eastern current in the NH in geostrophic balance will flow which direction?
South, with high pressure on the left and low pressure to the right.
Net transport of wind blown current is in what direction in the NH?
90 degrees to the right of the direction in which the wind is blowing.
A northerly wind off the coast of California and the water is in Ekman balance.
-Direction of wind stress
-Direction of Coriolis
-Direction of the surface current
-Net Ekman Transport
-Is there downwelling or Upwelling?
The wind is blowing from the north to the south
-South
-North
-45 degrees to the right (south west)
-90 degrees to the right (west)
-Upwelling (the net transport is pushing waters offshore)
Why do all hurricanes follow cyclonic flow?
They are extremely low pressure systems. This governs the rotation, counterclockwise in the NH. And Clockwise in the southern hemisphere.
What forms tropical waves?
Ripples in the easterly trade winds off the coast of Africa moving over the ocean.
What is a tropical disturbance?
A cluster of severe thunderstorms that persist longer than 24 hours.
What percent of tropical disturbances become cyclonic systems?
10%
When looking at a pressure chart how can you identify a tropical depression?
At least one closed isobar, air flowing cyclonically around a low pressure system.
What causes such high decrease of pressure within storms?
The rising of temperatures, create a vacuum for low surface pressure.
what is the wind speed required to determine if a depression has turned into a tropical storm?
Sustained winds of 40mph or higher for 24 hours.
Why can hurricanes build strength so rapidly?
Hurricanes act as a positive feedback loop. As a hurricane moves it can continue to build making it bigger and bigger.
What is the driving force for the path of Hurricanes in the Atlantic Ocean?
The path of a hurricane can be determined on the location of the Bermuda high. Acting as repealing forces the high can either push hurricanes into mainland US or pull hurricanes into the Atlantic ocean
Why is the northeastern corner of hurricanes in the NH the strongest/deadliest location?
The steering of the trade winds. The highest sustained winds are located here because the trade winds are acting with the movement of the cyclonic flow. In the southern corners the trade winds are at opposition with the cyclonic flow of the system.
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