Author Question: What is the Ekman spiral? a. The movement of water in the same direction as the wind above b. The ... (Read 247 times)

Mimi · **on:** Aug 22, 2018

What is the Ekman spiral?
a. The movement of water in the same direction as the wind above
b. The decreasingly slower movement of water as it gets further away from the wind source
c. The sum of all water directions in wind affected layers
d. The friction created on the ocean's surface layer from wind

Question 2

What is responsible for the large-scale global ocean circulation?
a. Surface currents
b. ENSO events
c. Thermohaline circulation
d. Langmuir circulation

strudel15 · **Reply #1 on:** Aug 22, 2018

Answer to Question 1

ANS: B
The Ekman spiral has to do with layers of water responding to the initial wind friction at the ocean's
surface. Each layer of water under the initial top layer moves slightly towards the right in the Northern
Hemisphere. Each layer moves slower than the layer above it. Information can be found in the section
Surface Currents Are Driven by the Winds.

Answer to Question 2

ANS: C
Thermohaline circulation is the movement of water due to density differences. The whole ocean is
involved in this slow circulation. Information can be found in the section Thermohaline Circulation
Affects All the Ocean's Water.