El Niño

Which of the following properties do scientists use to determine if El Niño is present and its strength?

• Carbon isotopes in deep sea sediments

• pH levels of Arctic waters

• Southern Oscillation Index

• Sea ice coverage in Greenland

In an El Niño year, which set of the following conditions would you expect?

• A cooling of Pacific Ocean SSTs near South America and a warming of SSTs to the northeast of Australia

• A warming of Pacific Ocean SSTs near South America and a cooling of SSTs to the northeast of Australia

• A warming of the oceans near the northeast of Australia only

• A cooling of Pacific Ocean water near South America only

During an El Niño year, rainfall in (Eastern) Australia would likely be:

• Greater than normal

• Less than normal

• About the same as in a non El Niño year

• It is impossible to determine because there is no known relationship between El Niño conditions and rainfall

Typically there are trade winds that blow along the equator in the Pacific Ocean from East to West. In an El Niño year the trade winds:

• Increase in strength

• Weaken

• Do not change

• Reverse direction

During an El Niño year, what is most likely to happen to the Peruvian Anchovy population?

• The population will decline

• The population will increase

• The population will remain stable

• The population will migrate to colder waters

The difference in the height of the water surface between high and low tides is:

• Neap tide

• Spring tide

• Tidal range

• Tidal current

Tidal range is typically the highest during which types of tide?

• Spring tides

• Neap tides

• Low tides

• High tides

What is upwelling?

• A surge in fish populations like Peruvian Anchovy

• The rising of a cold, nutrient rich current from deep in the ocean

• A temperature cell in the atmosphere that rises rapidly

• A hurricane that forms rapidly

During El Niño, upwelling in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of South America:

• Increases

• Decreases

• Shows no change

• It is impossible to determine because there is no known relationship between El Niño conditions and upwelling

Explain what is meant by “SST Anomaly.”

• A measure of the deviation of sea surface temperature from the long-term average.

• A type of marine species found in the ocean.

• A method of calculating ocean depth.

• A tool used for measuring wind speed over the ocean.