Introduction to Physical Oceanography STUDENT NOTES Date: 1

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What do you know about solar radiation at different parts of the world? What affect does the tilt of the Earth have on the northern and southern hemisphere

Intr

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What is physical oceanography? __study of physics within the marine environments (sound, light, currents, waves, tides, weather and climate)_____________________________________________

Atm

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The atmosphere is the volume of __ gases, water vapor, and airborne particles_________ that extends 90 km from the Earth’s surface. Are earth’s atmosphere and ocean intertwined? YES NO (circle)

• What are the three gases found in the atmosphere and ocean? __ Nitrogen_______ (78%), _____ Oxygen____ (21%), and ___ Carbon Dioxide___ (.03%)

• Change in atmosphere can affect the ocean • Change in ocean affects atmosphere

- Ocean transports heat into the air which changes the local climate

Atm

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Layers of the Atmosphere

• __ Troposphere________________________________ - Lowest Layer - Temperature __ decreases_______ with _____ increasing________ altitude - Where weather happens and gases exchange from atmosphere and ocean (majority of breathable air)

• __ Stratosphere________________________________ - Temperature ___ increases_____________________ with ___ increasing_____________ altitude

- What does the ozone layer do? ___ absorbs UV radiation from the sun (heat)___________

- Some airplanes fly in this layer; breathable air also present

• __ Mesosphere _______________________________ - Temperature __ decreases______________________ with ___ increasing_____________ altitude

- What happens to space debris as it enters this part of the atmosphere? __ burn____ - Example: ____ shooting stars_____________________________________

• _ Thermosphere_________________________________

- Furthest Layer - What occurs in this layer? ___ northern and southern lights____________

Hea

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Solar radiation from the sun heats the Earth’s surface and powers atmospheric circulation What happens as radiation hits Earth? __ reflected, absorbed, and reradiated______________________

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Differences in the heating of the atmosphere at different latitudes set gases in motion. This creates __ currents_____. The intensity of solar radiation varies with latitude

• What happens at lower latitudes? ___ more solar radiation______

• What happens at higher latitude? __ less solar radiation_______ Diagram the direction of the sun’s rays to the right Why does the Earth heat unevenly?

• Temperatures vary by ___location and time of year__________________ - What causes heat to arrive at different times? __tilted axis_____________________

- The tilted axis of Earth causes different parts of the Earth to heat at different rates

§ This is the reason why the northern hemisphere is in ___winter___________ while the southern

hemisphere is in ____summer_____________________________

- The elliptical orbits cause the Earth to be_____ closer to the sun at different times_____ of the year.

Hea

t Bud

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More intense sunlight reaches the equator and the intensity of solar radiation __decreases____ towards the poles….

• At high latitudes the same amount of sunlight passes through the atmosphere but the same amount of sunlight is spread over a larger area

In order to maintain a stable long-term temperature, what does Earth have to do? _lose as much heat as it gains__

• Excessive heat from the tropics tend to move to higher latitudes by _winds_______ and ___ocean currents___________________________________________.

Coriolis Effect STUDENT NOTES Date: 2

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Do pilots need to consider the spherical shape of the Earth in flight? Can they fly in a straight line? Complete the statement: ______________________ air rises while _______________________ air sinks.

Cor

iolis

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Coriolis Effect: tendency for a moving object to __deflect________________________________. Coriolis Effect causes winds to be able to move in ALL direction.

• It shapes __wind__________________ and ____ocean currents___________.

• Allows for distribution of heat, nutrients, and life.

It is caused by the ___rotation___________ of the Earth Important for objects that move long distances/long time Where is the maximum deflection? ___poles________________ Lowest/Negligible defection at which location? ___equator______ Which way in the northern hemisphere? Left/ Right (circle) Clockwise/Counter-clockwise(circle) Which way in the southern hemisphere? Left/ Right (circle) Clockwise/Counter-clockwise (circle)

Con

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Convection: uneven heating causes __hot___________ air to raise and ___cold____________ air to fall. Winds do NOT just flow from poles to equator and back

• What is this change due to? Density changes

• The hot air at the equator will head either to north or south poles. At the same time, the cold air at the poles will move toward the equator. - This causes various weather patterns. Name THREE! Rain, win, and snow

Hurricane Webquest STUDENT NOTES Date: 3

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What do you know about Hurricanes? Where do they form? When?

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1. What is a hurricane? 2. Where does the word "hurricane" come from? 3. Describe the three main PARTS of a hurricane: 4. What conditions are needed for hurricane formation? 5. What type of pressure exists in a hurricane? 6. How do winds spin in Northern Hemisphere hurricanes? 7. What are hurricanes called in the Indian Ocean? What are hurricanes called in the western Northern Pacific and Philippines? 8. What "rules" are used to name hurricanes? 9. What name will be given to the 13th hurricane or tropical storm of 2014? 10. Why are some hurricane names retired? 11. When is the Atlantic hurricane season? What months have the most activity? 12. What "fuels" a hurricane? (Hint: Removing this "fuel" causes the hurricane to "die".)

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13. What wind speeds are found in the following storms (report in mph) tropical depressions___________ tropical storms __________ hurricanes ___________ 14. Why do hurricanes hit the East coast of the US and not the West coast? 15. What is a storm surge? Why is it so dangerous? 16. The Saffir-Simpson scale classifies the damage caused by hurricanes into five categories. Copy and complete the following table:

Category # Wind Speed

Height of Storm Surge

Amount of Damage

1

2

3

4

5

17. What is a hurricane watch? What is a hurricane warning? 18. List at least 3 different things you should do to prepare for a hurricane. ___________________________ ______________________________ __________________________ 19. What should you do with your pet during a hurricane? 20. When and where was the deadliest hurricane in the US? How many people died?

Surface Circulation STUDENT NOTES Date: 4

War

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p What is a current? What can affect currents?

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Circulation within the ocean is significantly driven by __wind patterns______. How does water transfer energy on the water’s surface? Friction

• It does this as it blows over the water causing horizontal movement. A water current will develop if wind blows at the same direction. What happens if the wind then stops blowing?

• The current continues to flow until internal friction, or friction with the sea floor, dissipates its energy Ocean circulation can occur as: ___Currents_________ ____Gyres_______ _____Waves_______ ____Tides_________________

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___Current________: a horizontal movement of water in a well-defined pattern Other than wind, what causes ocean currents?

• Earth’s rotation: __Coriolis Effect____, Shape of Basin _____Depth______________ of water, _____Changes in Sea Level___________, Temperature- cold water sinks/warm rises, Salinity- salt content of water

_____Thermohaline ___________ Circulation (Density Driven) Refresh: How is the ocean stratified? __Density, temperature, and salinity______ How are density and salinity connected? __as density increases, salinity increases_______

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Two Types Surface Currents: ___wind-driven currents_______

• Occurs in the top 400 m or less; What percent of the ocean currents are surface currents? __10%__ • Transfer heat from warmer to colder areas • Similar to pattern of major wind belts • What do these currents affect? ___coastal climate___________ • Primarily horizontal motion

Deep Currents: __density-driven currents_____ that result from differences in salinity and temperature

• Occurs below 400 m; What percent of ocean currents are deep currents? __90%__________ • Produces very slow flow of deeper waters • ____provide oxygen to deep sea_______ • Vertical and horizontal motions

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s Rule: The Coriolis Effect is more pronounced the __slower____________________ an object moves.

1. Wind blows only on the surface water layer (but it moves slower than the wind.)

2. This layer of water will also ___drag the underlying water_______, but with less force (even slower).

3. This proceeds lower and lower (each layer is even slower).

4. What is this called? ___Ekman Spiral______

Ekm

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___Ekman Spiral_______: a spiraling pattern of water direction caused because slower substances are more greatly influenced by the Coriolis Effect. ___Ekman Transport__________: States that the overall movement of a current is __90 degrees___ to the right or left of the global wind direction

• Which way does it move in the Northern Hemisphere? __Right______________________________

• Which way does it move in the Southern Hemisphere? __Left______________________________

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___Gyres____: a circular pattern formed by the connection of several ___surface currents_________. Made of multiple, connected currents in each ocean basin and named for the ocean and hemisphere they are found.

• Northern Hemisphere: 2 gyres with clockwise rotation; Southern Hemisphere: 3 gyres with counter-clockwise rotation

Gyres flow in a general area but they don’t flow within perfectly defined paths… they can vary due to wind strength. Eddies: ___swirling currents_______

• Caused by friction with abrupt changes in adjacent waters, in water temperature, speed, and direction • Can form large circular loops that can temporarily break away

Eddies are important because:

• They can affect local ___temperatures and weather_______________ by redistributing heat. • Commercial fishing boats use eddies to locate fish. • They can affect ship speed

El N

ino

ENSO: is the change in location of warm and cold surface water every 2-7 years

• El Nino: ___warm phase_____________________________

• La Nina: ___cold phase_____________________________ Effects of El Nino: result in worldwide weather changes. During El Nino years, the trade winds weaken and do not move warm water across the Pacific. What can occur during El Nino? ____drought, wildfires, tropical storms, flooding, mudslides _______

Deep Currents STUDENT NOTES Date: 5

War

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p What is the difference between surface currents and deep currents? What is sea level?

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Deep currents are ___density-driven currents___________________ that result from difference between what two things? ___ salinity and temperature________ The main gyres move __ heat_____ and ___ salt_______ resulting in density variation lead to ___ vertical flow____________(sinking)

• Which sinks? Salty, dense water or less salty water (circle)

• There are different density layers found in the ocean

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What is density driven water flow called? __ Thermohaline Circulatoion______

• This is because temperature and salinity together determine the ___ density_____ of seawater

• T_ emperature_____________________= temperature

• H_ aline_____________________= salt

Density differences occur as a result of temperature and salinity

• Warm water holds __ less_____________ salt than cold water so it is __ less_____________ dense and rises toward the surface while cold, salt laden water sinks.

• As the warm water rises, the cold water is forced to rise through __ upwelling_________ and fills the void left by the warm water.

• When cold water rises, it too leaves a void and the rising warm water is then forced, through ____ downweling_______ to descend and fill this empty space creating Thermohaline circulation. - Coldest water is at the poles and have higher salinities because of low precipitation and the

formation of sea ice.

Upw

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Upwelling • Upward vertical current that brings cold deep nutrient rich water to the surface. This increases what? • Increased diversity of life in upwelling zones and prove to be great fishing areas

• Some upwelling occurs when a wind blowing __ parrallel_________ to shore pushes

surface water out to sea due to ___ Ekman Transport___________________________________.

• Where does upwelling occur? __ equator and on coastlines______________________________

Downwelling • A downward vertical current that pushes surface water deep into the ocean

• What is carried to the deep ocean? _ nutrients and other essential materials and gases________

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Combination of Thermocline deep water currents and Wind-driven surface currents. Below, trace the warm (red) and cold (blue) water. Unequal distribution of ___ solar radiation_____

• Equator heats up and redistributes heat

Water moves as current from tropics toward higher latitudes. What is an example? ____ Gulf Stream___ What moving northward cools

• It is denser and sinks • What else makes water more

dense? ___ salinity___ • Why would salinity in the

water increase at the poles? _ as ice forms, salt ions are left behind________ This acts as a __ thermostat__________________________________________. Bringing cold water to the tropics and warm water to the poles and regulates climate.

Sea

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What is sea level? _ average level of sea’s surface at its mean height between high and low tide _____ • This is driven by pressure gradient force • When the level drops, the current carries water out

Impo

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Cir

cula

tion Why is ocean circulation important?

Ocean circulation affects the Earth in many ways

• Circulates __ nutrients______ and __ energy___ throughout the ocean • Affects the Earth’s climate • Affects the transport and shipping industries

• What other things can be transported? ___ living things (seeds or organisms)__________

Waves STUDENT NOTES Date: 6

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t What is a wave? __a rhythmic movement that carries energy through matter or space ____________ When a wave passes through the ocean, individual water molecules move __ up____ and __ down____ but they DO NOT move __ forward_____ or __ backward________. Ex: __ dropping a stone in water_____

• Waves ripple away from the splash… the water doesn’t move away only the __ energy___

Wav

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What determine how big a wave will become?

• __ wind speed______: the strength of the wind; wind must be moving faster than the wave crests for energy to transfer from air to sea.

• Fetch: ___ the amount of open water a wind blows over_________ How long must strong wind blow in one direction in order for large waves to be fully developed? __ 3 days______________________________

• ___ Duration______: the length of the air current; high winds that blow only a short time will not

generate large waves. Low winds that blow for a long time can generate very large waves

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Progressive Wave: the energy is transferred by __ vibrations_______ of matter form one point to another and do not break. How are progressive waves classified? ___ by direction water moves______ What are the 3 types of Progressive Waves? ___ Longitudinal____________ ______ Transverse__________ _____ Orbital__________

Lon

gitu

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e Longitudinal Waves: vibration is in the ___ same direction as wave movement (parallel to wave pulse)__ Vibration is back and forth. (THINK _ spring_______________ or __ slinky______________. What is this also known as? __ compression or pressure wave____________________ Provide examples of Longitudinal Waves __ sound waves________

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What are transverse wave? ____ vibration is at 90 degrees (right angles)_____________ Which direction are vibrations in? ___ perpendicular to the direction of the motion of the wave_______ Provide examples for Transverse Waves. ___ ripple in pond____________________________

Orb

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Orbital Waves: transmit only through fluids as energy moves through the fluid in a _ circular ___ motion as it passes. How is vibration? __ circular______ What is this also known as? ____ surface waves_____ Provide example for Orbital Waves. __ waves in the ocean____

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___ Wavelength_______________: the horizontal distance between two consecutive crests or troughs What is the HIGHEST point on a wave? _ Crest____ LOWEST? ____ Trough____ ___ Wave Height______________: vertical distance between a wave crest and trough ____ Wave Amplitude__________: the vertical distance between the still-water line and a wave crest or trough (How else can you think about it?) ____ Period___________: the time it takes for 2 consecutive crests or troughs to pass a stationary point

• What would you get with a LONG period? __ big wave (swells)__ SHORT period? __ small waves (chop)__

What is frequency? __ number of waves or crests/troughs that pass a fixed point each second.____ Celerity: speed of a wave…. Wavelength/period Identify in the terms above in the following:

Bre

akin

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aves

What makes a wave break? __the crest outruns the trough and the crest collapses____________ Explain the beaches that create the following breaking waves.

• Surging Wave: __steep slope beach; wave rolls instead of breaks right onto beach_____

• Plunging Wave: __moderate slope; wave curls; surfing!____

• Spilling Wave: __gentle slope; break far from shore over long distances; crest spills down face of wave__

Which one do you think are on our SC Beaches? __Spilling Wave______________________________

Wavelength Crest

Trough

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What is a Tsunami? __a series of waves generated in a body of wave by a pulsating or abrupt disturbance that vertically displaces the water column_____ What causes them? ___underwater disturbance such as earthquake or volcanic eruption or landslide__ They’re also called seismic sea waves. What else can they be called? _tidal waves_____ Why is that incorrect? __they are not caused by tides____ In open ocean, a tsunami may only have a wave height of a few feet and as the wave approaches shallow water, it builds to heights that can reach greater than 100 feet. When will tsunamis cause damage? __reaches land_________

Rip

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AKA: _____rip tide___________________________________________________________ What causes it? ____winds and waves push water over a sand bar______ How fast can it flow? ____1-8 feet per second____________________________ How do you escape a rip current? ____swim parallel to the shoreline____

Tides STUDENT NOTES Date: 7

W ar m

up What do you know about tides?

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Cir

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T

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Ocean Circulation is also driven by tides. Tides: are the rhythmic _____rising and falling_________________________ of sea surface levels. What three things cause the tides? __moon’s gravity, sun’s gravity, rotation of the Earth_____________

Hig

h vs

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The tides are caused by the gravitational pull of the ___moon_______________ on the ocean water (and the ___sun_________________ to a lesser degree). This causes the __bulges____________________. Water on the side of the Earth are pulled ___closer to the moon__________, causing a high tide.

• What is a high tide? ___where water level is highest_____________________________ Waters on the far side of the Earth are ___pushed away from the moon___________, causing a low tide.

• What is a low tide? ___where water level is lowest__________

Tid

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Because the Earth spins, the place where high and low tides occur are constantly changing

• How often does it change? ___about every 6 hours_____________________________ • What do the bulges that create high tide follow? __moon______________________________

• Inflow is AKA:__ flood current________ Outflow is AKA:__ ebb current________ • Midpoint between high and low tide creates a ____slack tide__________

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Sun has about ___half_____________________ of the power of the moon, and adds or subtracts from the lunar/moon tide. When are tidal bulges the largest?

• When sun and moon are ___in lne, actig together creating spring tides_________________, which produce very extreme tides.

Spring Tide

• More storm damage during this tide • How often does it occur? ___2 weeks_____________________________

• High tides are __higher_____ than normal and low tides are __lower________ than normal

Neap Tide

• What position are the Earth, Sun, and moon in? ___right angles (not in alignment)__________ • During a first or 3rd quarter moon.

Tid

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___Semidiurnal_________________: two high, two low tide (most locations have this type) Ex: East Coast ____Mixing Semidiurnal__________: successive high tides of different height Ex. West Coast ____Diurnal_____________________: one high and one low Ex: Gulf of Mexico

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Number and size of tides can be affected by what things? bottom features, geographic features such as islands, canyons, reefs, shape and depth of the ocean, etc. Continents block westward passage of tidal bulges ____Tidal Range____________: the difference in ocean level between high tide and low tide

• Large wide basins tend to have a small tidal range than narrow, shallower basins

Org

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Organisms that live in areas exposed during a low tide are especially affected during spring tides. What happens when there is movement of water during tidal changes? ___significant mixing of water which also affects organisms_______ Many organisms time their ___reproduction______________________ according to the tides.