GPHY 102 Lecture Notes - Lecture 7: Ocean Current, Atmospheric Circulation, Solar Irradiance

• School: Queen's University
• Department: Geography
• Course: GPHY 102
• Professor: Dr.Trezino

Document Summary

Environment, 5th edition, john wiley & sons, chapter 5 pp. Ocean temperatures: vertical variation with layered structure, highest near surface due to insolation and absorption of atmospheric heat, average annual sea surface temperatures (2010, note strong latitudinal influence with variations due to ocean currents. Two gyres centred at latitudes 20 - 30 . Subtropical gyre corresponds to the subtropical high pressure: n. and s. equatorial currents corresponds to the trade winds, equatorial countercurrent corresponds to the itcz. El nino: a cyclical disturbance of the ocean and atmosphere. Occurs at intervals of three to eight years. Begins in the eastern pacific and spreads its influence widely. At the beginning of winter the waters off of the coast of peru warm once every few years. This warming occurs at irregular intervals and reduces the fish population off of the coast, brings about droughts in some parts of the world, heavy rainfalls in others, and extremes of temperatures.