Kami Export - ODJ_currents assignment.pdf

Ocean Discovery Journal Surface Currents of the Oceans Complete the activity below on Surface Currents of the Oceans making sure to record all of your answers below. These answer sheets should be added to your Ocean Discovery Journal for review and later assessment. You may also use the Notes section at the bottom to record other thoughts or questions you may have that arise during your completion of this exercise. Surface Currents Driving Forces for Surface Currents Surface currents (in the upper 400m) are driven by wind stresses resulting from friction between moving air and the underlying water. Thus, surface wind-driven current patterns in the ocean mimic prevailing wind zones on Earth, with one modification. Once water starts moving under the influence of wind stress, it is affected by an apparent turning force due to the Earth rotating underneath it. This apparent deflection, known as the Coriolis effect , causes moving water to be deflected to the right of its original path in the Northern Hemisphere, and to the left in the Southern Hemisphere. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcPs_OdQOYU&feature=related Refer to your earlier exploration of the topic of Ekman transport and Coriolis effect. If you haven’t studied this yet go back and explore the topics before proceeding Step 1> Preliminary Questions 1. How are the Coriolis effect and Ekman transport related? 2. How does Ekman transport affect the net transport direction of surface waters relative to wind direction? Step 1> Instructions When water is pushed away from shore, cold, nutrient-rich waters rise from the depths to create upwelling currents. When water is pushed toward the shore, water piles up there and is forced downward, creating downwelling currents. Based on this information, draw arrows on the diagrams below showing what happens to the water as a result of Ekman transport. In the space below each diagram, label whether upwelling or downwelling is taking place. Discovery Activity Surface Currents of the Oceans

Ocean Discovery Journal Ocean Surface Currents 2 Step 1> Questions 3. In which situation would you expect to see higher primary productivity and why?

Ocean Discovery Journal Ocean Surface Currents 3 Surface Currents Major Surface Currents of the World Combining the drag of the prevailing winds with the Coriolis deflection in each hemisphere, we end up with several elliptical current cells, known as gyres , which dominate each of the major ocean basins. Maps showing prevailing winds (top) and major ocean surface currents (bottom).

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