This topic contains a solution. Click here to go to the answer

Author Question: What is the Ekman spiral? Explain why Ekman transport occurs. What will be an ideal ... (Read 187 times)

joesmith1212

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 549
What is the Ekman spiral? Explain why Ekman transport occurs.
 
  What will be an ideal response?

Question 2

What effects does the surface-wind pattern have on the circulation of the oceans?
 
  What will be an ideal response?



Related Topics

Need homework help now?

Ask unlimited questions for free

Ask a Question
Marked as best answer by a Subject Expert

ilianabrrr

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 332
Answer to Question 1

Due to friction between wind and the water surface, some of the kinetic energy of the air is transferred to the top layer of the water. As that layer moves, it drags along the water just below it, which in turn drags along the water just below that, and so on. The water can be thought to move as many thin, coupled layers, and kinetic energy is transferred down the water column. However, as the energy is transferred downward, friction causes some of the energy to be dissipated in the form of heat, so each level moves more slowly than the level above. At some depth below the surface, the effects of the wind-induced movement disappear. However, as each layer moves, it is again subject to the Coriolis Effect. Once a layer starts to move, the water is deflected to the right of the path of the layer above (or the wind path, for the surface layer). This movement is to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and to the left in the Southern Hemisphere. The deeper below the surface, the farther each layer is deflected to the right or left of the surface layer, producing a spiraling effect known as the Ekman spiral. When the movements of all the individual layers of water in the spiral are added, the net direction of transport within the water column is at a right angle (90) to the wind direction. This net movement of water is referred to as Ekman transport.

Answer to Question 2

The movement of the wind over the ocean causes friction at the surface. As a result of this friction, the wind drags the ocean surface with it as it blows, thus setting up a pattern of surface-ocean wind-drift currents.




joesmith1212

  • Member
  • Posts: 549
Reply 2 on: Jul 14, 2018
:D TYSM


diana chang

  • Member
  • Posts: 288
Reply 3 on: Yesterday
YES! Correct, THANKS for helping me on my review

 

Did you know?

The types of cancer that alpha interferons are used to treat include hairy cell leukemia, melanoma, follicular non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, and AIDS-related Kaposi's sarcoma.

Did you know?

More than 34,000 trademarked medication names and more than 10,000 generic medication names are in use in the United States.

Did you know?

The senior population grows every year. Seniors older than 65 years of age now comprise more than 13% of the total population. However, women outlive men. In the 85-and-over age group, there are only 45 men to every 100 women.

Did you know?

Most fungi that pathogenically affect humans live in soil. If a person is not healthy, has an open wound, or is immunocompromised, a fungal infection can be very aggressive.

Did you know?

Women are 50% to 75% more likely than men to experience an adverse drug reaction.

For a complete list of videos, visit our video library