Due BEFORE CLASS Thursday, April 6, 2000
Answer the following questions. You may work together, but do not copy
from each other. That is to say, please write the answers yourselves. You
may use any resource you wish. For the problems – BE SURE TO SHOW
HOW YOU DID THE CALCULATIONS. DO NOT JUST SHOW THE ANSWER.
(1) Look at Fig. 6-15 (2nd edition) or 5-15 (1st edition). If water at the equator in the Pacific Ocean is 850 years old (i.e. was at the surface 850 years ago) what is its flow rate in centimeters per second, meters per year, and miles per hour? One degree of latitude is 60 nautical miles. Conversions can be found in Appendix II.
(2) Draw a diagram of the South Pacific Gyre. Your diagram should describe the relationship to the zonal wind patterns, coriolis deflection, and pressure-gradients. Where should upwelling be strongest on your diagram and why?
(3) Upwelling occurs at a rate of about 1 to 10 meters per day. If upwelled water comes from the upper slope, how long does it take to reach the surface?
(4) Look at Table 5-1 (1st edition) or Table 6-1 (2nd edition) and Figure 5-4 (1st edition) or Figure 6-4 (2nd edition). Estimate how long (in years) it would take a water molecule to complete one circuit around the edge of the circulation gyre of the North Atlantic Ocean. Approximately, how many cubic meters of water flow in the Gulf Stream each year? (Note: There is a typo in Table 6-1 – 1 Sv = 106 m3/sec).
(5) Although the MIW (Mediterranean Intermediate Water) is very saline,
it doesn’t sink below NADW (North Atlantic Deep Water). Why?