...The ocean is constantly in motion. The energy that arrives into the oceanic system on the planetary scales create large scale mean flows that are constantly breaking down into smaller scales features. The most important source of energy is the differential solar heat, warmer in the equator and colder in the poles. With the water transport, also heat, nutrients, salt, organisms and chemical particles in the ocean are moved, regulating the planet whether, climate and marine ecosystems. Both large scale and smaller scale oceanic currents, gyres and eddies, transport water masses long distances. Water masses are homogeneous bodies of seawater on their properties. These bodies of water have formed through surface processes that have their origin...
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...Divergent Boundaries * Divergent means to split apart. * This creates ocean floors 1) What are the major topography divisions in the north Atlantic * Continental margins, deep ocean basins, and mid-oceanic ridge. * CM: outer margins of all continents and transition to oceanic crust * DOB: b/t the CM and ocean ridge * OR: broad linear swell @ a divergent plate boundary. * Slow spreading center has a rougher terrain than a fast spreading center, which has a smoother terrain. * An ocean basin starts with a continental rift (elongated depression where the crust is thinner). Convergent Boundaries * The creation of mountains (orogensis) 2) What is not a key of terrestrial orogensis? - Diverging continental-continental plates * Volcanic Island formation - Step 1: the subducting slab partially melts creating a mantle wedge - Step 2: Melt migrates upward through the overlying oceanic lithosphere and forms a growth called a volcanic island arc or island arc * Oceanic crust goes beneath the continental crust causing the creation of a volcano on land. (Andean Type) * India collided with Asia because the lithosphere was subducting beneath Asia bringing the two closer together * These two had the same density when they collided; India was stronger so it remained intact and subducted below Asia as Asia started to rise. (Alpine-type [Himalayas]). Mass, Wasted by Gravity 3) How would you classify...
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...contribute to global warming A. Human activities: * The burning of fossil fuels due to industrialization, and vehicle use etc. * Oil spills * Logging – such as clear cutting forests down. B. Natural causes: * Ocean heat content * Water Vapor (Addition of a photo to illustrate activities that lead to global warming, and a photo to show the diminishing ozone layer) III. Relationship between Global Warming and Hurricane Behavior. A. World-wide * The duration and strength of hurricanes have increased about 50 percent over the past 3 decades. * As the temperature of water rises, so does the rate of evaporation, which then creates stronger winds. Thus resulting in more hurricanes. * Higher sea surface temperatures lead to more water vapor in the air leading to more rain. Warm air holds more vapor than cold air. B. Specifically in Atlantic regions of the Americas * Temperatures in the Atlantic are currently higher than ever previously recorded in history. * As ice glaciers start to melt due to rising temperatures, the seas levels rise. This results in higher storm surges and heavy downpour. IV. Atlantic Ocean as a Causation * Address the correlation between the local tropical Atlantic sea surface temperatures and...
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...Oceans Name of student Name of institution Oceans About seventy-one percent of the planet is covered with water bodies most of which consists of the five major oceans namely: the Pacific, the Atlantic, the Indian, the Arctic and the Antarctic. The word “sea” is sometimes wrongly for “ocean”, but “sea” represents the saline water body surrounded by land. In terms of hydrosphere, the oceans cover about ninety-seven percent of the earth’s water bodies. The ocean is so vast and one can sail for day without encountering land. Oceanographers state that exploration so far has only covered five percent of the world ocean. The world ocean is part of the carbon cycle and influences climatic and weather patterns, therefore, it is crucial for our existence. The ocean is home to about 200,000 known species, although estimates put it at over 2million species, because exploration has not covered most of the ocean’s depth yet. Year in year out, thousands of fishing fleets bring in millions of tons of fish and other sea creatures which are used for diverse purposes from food for human and livestock to making chemicals. The oceans and their beaches are also a good place to have fun. People tour beaches all around the world for a lot of interesting activities such as swimming, surfing and sailing. They also just lie and play in the beaches to enjoy the sun and the sand. ...
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...under, and over the surface of a planet; the liquid water component of the earth – includes atmospheric water vapor, ground water, lakes, rivers, polar icecaps, oceans * Oceans 87.54% * Ice caps 1.81% * Groundwater .63% * Everything else .02% | Condensation | The conversion of water from the vapor to the liquid state. When it occurs, the energy required to vaporize the water is released into the atmosphere. This is about 585 calories per gram of water at 20°C | Viscosity | A property of a substance to offer resistance to flow caused by internal friction | Latent heat | The quantity of heat gained or lost per unit of mass as a substance undergoes a change of state (such as liquid to solid) at a given temperature and pressure | Icecap | Ice mass that covers less than 50,000 km2 of land area | Dissolved solids | Cl, Na, SO4, Mg, Ca, K; Salinity is a measure of amount of dissolved material in water after correcting for gases and organic material | Dissolved gases | At the ocean/atmosphere interface, gases are added to seawater by diffusion and wave action. Gas composition at the ocean surface is in equilibrium with atmosphere. Gas composition changes with time and depth in the oceans | Hydrologic cycle | The cycle of water exchange among the atmosphere, land, and ocean through the processes of evaporation, precipitation, runoff, and subsurface percolation. Also called the water cycle | Ground water | Water located beneath the Earth’s surface in soil pore spaces...
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...Earth Dynamic Ocean & Atmosphere Mylani Tiopan GLG/150 02/02/2015 Suzanne McIninch University of Phoenix Material Earth’s Dynamic Ocean and Atmosphere I Worksheet From Visualizing Earth Science, by Merali, Z., and Skinner, B. J, 2009, Hoboken, NJ: Wiley. Copyright 2009 by Wiley. Adapted with permission. 1 Part 1 Sections 12.1 and 12.2 of the text discuss the origin and composition of the world ocean’s seawater. What is the current theory on the evolution of the world ocean? Scientists do not yet agree as to where the Earth's water came from. According to the text, some water were in the materials that formed Earth. That water was released as steam from volcanoes. The text also states that more water could have came from outside sources such as comets and meteorites. Discuss the origin of the salinity of seawater and how the ocean maintains salinity. Chemical weathering of rock and volcanic eruptions are some of the sources that are involved in the salinity of seawater. Evaporation of surface water and freezing of seawater makes seawater saltier. While rain, snow, and river water make it less salty. 2 Part 2 Surface currents obtain their energy from the wind blowing over the surface waters. The currents do not exactly follow the wind direction because of an apparent force known as the Coriolis force. Using Figure 12.11 from the text, briefly explain surface currents of the world ocean and how the Coriolis force affects this...
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...Aridity Aridity Causes of Aridity (1) – Atmospheric Pressure (on graph) Causes of Aridity (2) – Cold Ocean Currents: Several deserts lying along western coasts of continents owe their formation to cold ocean surface currents. Air blowing towards the shore, chilled by contact with cold water, produces a layer of fog. This heavy fog drifts onto land. Although humidity is high, the atmospheric pressure that normally causes rainfall is not present. A coastal desert may be almost totally rainless, yet damp with fog The Atacama Desert, on the pacific shore of Chile, is a coastal desert. Some areas of the Atacama often covered by fog but the region can go decades without rainfall. In fact, the Atacama Desert is the driest on earth. Some weather stations have never recorded a drop of rain. Causes of Aridity (3) - Rain Shadow Effect: Dry Air Dry Air 3. The leeward side 3. The leeward side 2.The windward side 2.The windward side Rain from expansion and cooling Rain from expansion and cooling 1. Approaching Air mass 2. Approaching Air mass High Mountain Ranges may lead to the formation of desert areas by intercepting precipitation from moist, prevailing winds Leeward: facing away from prevailing winds Leeward: facing away from prevailing winds In these circumstances, windward slopes of the mountain ranges receive more rainfall than leeward slopes which will be in the rain shadow. In extreme cases, the leeward ...
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...----------------------------------------pg. 6 Influence in the dissemination of seeds & fruits----------------------------------------------------pg.7 Upwelling zone------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------pg. 7 Conclusion------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------pg7-8 References------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------pg. 9 Abstract The Gulf Stream is one of the most significant and influential currents in the world. It changes in temperature over the ocean, varying climate conditions and typical weather of the North Atlantic area. It extends from Florida to the coast of Nova Scotia, moving a hundred miles in a day. This boundary also changes physical and chemical properties of the ocean water. It reaches a depth of up to 2 kilometers. Also,...
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...19/11/2014 19/11/2014 Julian Swinkels 4119355 | j.r.a.swinkels@students.uu.nl ------------------------------------------------- Mare Nostrum A report looking into the geodynamics(1), THE PALEOENVIRONMENT(2) and volcanism & earthquakes(3) of the (eastern) mediterranean area Julian Swinkels 4119355 | j.r.a.swinkels@students.uu.nl ------------------------------------------------- Mare Nostrum A report looking into the geodynamics(1), THE PALEOENVIRONMENT(2) and volcanism & earthquakes(3) of the (eastern) mediterranean area Table of content Introduction 1 Geodynamics 2 Volcanism and Earthquakes 4 Paleoenvironment 6 References: 8 Introduction The Mediterranean Sea has been one of the most profound areas for geologists to study at. Amongst each other they also refer to the sea as ‘Mare Nostrum’ which is Latin for ‘our sea’. It is an area where many different types of tectonic plates come together, moving in different directions. It also has the perfect latitude to make it a sensitive area regarding astronomically induced oscillations. In the past it has been a fascinating area for geological research and further analysis of the area would contribute greatly of many geological process in an accurate time-frame. This report will first explain the geodynamics of the area focussing on the subduction processes in the eastern Mediterranean and how extension is possible in an overall compressive state. Secondly the volcanic activity and earthquake...
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...Global warming What is the greenhouse effect, and is it affecting our climate? The greenhouse effect is unquestionably real, and is essential for life on Earth. It is the result of heat absorption by certain gases in the atmosphere (called greenhouse gases because they trap heat) and re- radiation downward of a part of that heat. Water vapor is the most important greenhouse gas, followed by carbon dioxide and other trace gases. Without a natural greenhouse effect, the temperature of the Earth would be about zero degrees F (-18°C) instead of its present 57°F (14°C). However, the concern is not with the fact that we have a greenhouse effect, but it is with the question regarding whether human activities are leading to an enhancement of the greenhouse effect. Are greenhouse gases increasing? Human activity has been increasing the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere (mostly carbon dioxide from combustion of coal, oil, and gas; plus a few other trace gases). There is no scientific debate on this point. Pre-industrial levels of carbon dioxide (prior to...
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...Island National Seashore is part of the Coastal Plain Region also known as the Tidewater region of Virginia. The Coastal Plain Region is an important ecological part of Virginia and is home to many productive agriculture, residents, and businesses. Assateague Island National Seashore is comparatively small with less than 18,000 acres, but a surprising range of resources and habitats can be found on the park. The national park stretches for about 37 miles along the coasts of Maryland and Virginia surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean on the eastside. Assateague Island National Seashore holds prosperity of natural features and habitats. Within the park, there is a variety of ponds that provide water for the natural world well into the dry summer months. These ponds form during rainy periods providing fresh water to the wild animals and for the small water pools may not last long enough. As a result, small water pools will lose water through the sandy soil or the evaporation process. Other natural features such as marshes, grasslands, dunes, forests, beaches, and shrub lands are all part of the national park, found within the seashore’s boundaries. The park also holds natural and man-made dunes, which serve...
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...CRITICALLY EVALUATE THE FACTORS INFLUENCING THE GLOBAL HEAT BUDGET - 40 MARKS The global heat budget is the balance between incoming insolation, and outgoing radiation from Earth. There are many factors that influence this heat budget, some of which are more important than others. In this essay I am going to describe and explain each factor involved. Insolation is the incoming energy from the sun in shortwave ultraviolet (UV) radiation. The distribution of insolation over the Earth’s surface is complicated; however there are patterns to be seen. Insolation has numerous aspects to it that each affects it in turn, which are divided into three categories of long term, short term and local. Quite possibly the most important aspect is latitude, a long term factor. The effect of latitude on the heat budget can be seen all over the globe, but the most striking examples are that the annual amount of insolation in the Arctic region, located 66° north of the equator, is 75 W/m2 however it is 275 W/m2 in Egypt, located 26° north of the equator. Latitude holds such a large effect on insolation because a variation in latitude means variations in the altitude of the sun. Altitude of the sun affects insolation because as the angle of the sun in the sky decreases and becomes more oblique, the land area to be heated up by the rays and the depth of atmosphere they must travel through increase. Therefore the amount of insolation lost through absorption, scattering and reflection increases....
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...When it comes to food ethics I would have to say that wasting good food is probably at the top or near the top of the list. Pojman says it the best by stating that if there were ten children at the table the healthiest eat the best, but throw away most of their food. Two of the children get enough food in order to get by. The next three just manage to avoid hunger pains by eating rice and bread. The other two are unable to get enough food to survive and eventually die of hunger related diseases (Pojman & Pojman, 2012). This is something that hits home for me. I have children that will throw away good food and not think twice about it. They are young children that do not yet understand the concept that other kids in other places of the world...
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...GEOGRAPHY AND ECOLOGY Group 605 Quiz #3 – Topics 6 & 7 Nombre________________________________________________ Fecha__________ SECTION 1: Circle the correct option according to each of the following statements. (70 points) 1. It’s the layer of the Earth’s structure that concentrates all the water on the planet and covers approximately 70% of its surface. a) Lithosphere c) Stratosphere b) Hydrosphere d) Subterranean water 2. This component of the hydrosphere concentrates 97% of the planet’s water, however it has high concentrations of salt. a) Glaciers c) Atmosphere b) Subterranean waters d) Seas and oceans 3. It’s the component of the hydrosphere, which at 72 %, concentrates the majority of the world’s fresh water. However, it’s frozen. a) Glaciers c) Atmosphere b) Subterranean waters d) Seas and oceans 4. This is one of the chemical properties of water a) Colorless c) Neutral pH b) Tasteless d) Lacks smell 5. What are the 3 physical states in which water can be found? (Multiple answers) a) Solid c) Liquid b) Gas d) Plasma 6. The kind of sea that is mostly surrounded by continental land, such as the Black Sea and the Mediterranean. a) Gulfs b) Interior sea c) Exterior sea d) Lakes 7. These are large intrusions of sea into continental lands a) Gulfs b) Interior sea c) Exterior sea d) Lakes 8. These kind of movements of seawater are undulations on its surface that area caused by the wind and there are two kinds:...
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...Session – 14 Unit – VI CLIMATIC CHANGE AND GLOBAL WARMING Dr. H.S. Ramesh Professor of Environmental Engineering S.J. College of Engineering, Mysore – 570 006 Carbon di-oxide is a natural constituent of atmosphere, but now, its concentration is increasing at an alarming rate. According to an estimate, CO2 level is expected to be doubled by 2030 A.D. The term ‘Green House Effect’ is also called as ‘Atmospheric Effect’, ‘Global Warming’ or ‘CO2 Problem’. Human activities are changing the composition as well as behaviour at an unprecedented rate. The pollutants form a wide range of human activities are increasing the global atmospheric concentration of certain heat trapping gases, which act like a blanket, trapping close to the surface that would otherwise escape through the atmosphere to the outer space. This process is known as ‘Green House Effect’. Green House is that body which allows the short wave length incoming solar radiation to come in, but does not allow the long wave outgoing terrestrial infra red radiation to escape. The progressive warming up of the earth’s surface due to blanketing effect of manmade CO 2 in the atmosphere is called ‘Green House Effect’. (Figure 1). The four major green house gases, which cause adverse effects are CO2, CH4, N2O and CFC’s. Among these CO2 is the most common and important green house gas. In addition, ozone and SO2 are also act as serious pollutants in causing global warming. Green House Effect Under normal concentrations of...
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