All Flashcards
What is ENSO?
El Niño-Southern Oscillation: a climate pattern with El Niño and La Niña phases.
Define El Niño.
Significant warming of Pacific Ocean surface waters between South America and Papua New Guinea.
Define La Niña.
Cooling of Pacific Ocean surface waters in the same region as El Niño.
What is the thermocline?
Layer in the ocean where a sharp temperature drop occurs.
Define upwelling.
Process where colder, deeper water rises to the surface.
What are the effects of weakened trade winds in the Pacific?
Warm water shifts eastward, leading to El Niño conditions.
What are the effects of strengthened trade winds in the Pacific?
Warm water shifts westward, leading to La Niña conditions and increased upwelling.
What is the effect of El Nino on the southeastern U.S.?
Colder and wetter winters.
What is the effect of La Nina on the southeastern U.S.?
Warmer and drier conditions.
What is the effect of ENSO on precipitation patterns?
Increased risks of floods and droughts in various regions due to shifts in precipitation.
What is the effect of El Nino on ocean heat capacity?
Decreased ocean heat capacity, potentially contributing to global warming.
What is the effect of altered bird migration patterns?
Can affect breeding and survival rates of bird populations.
What is the effect of weakened trade winds?
Warm surface water moves eastward toward the coast of South America (El Niño).
What is the effect of strengthened trade winds?
Warm surface water is pushed further west, away from the South American coast (La Niña).
What are the effects of El Niño on South America?
Drier regions experience higher rainfall, often leading to flooding.
What are the effects of El Niño on the southeastern US?
Colder and wetter winters.
What are the effects of La Niña on the southeastern US?
Warmer and drier conditions.
What are the effects of ENSO on species?
Rapid climate changes can force species to relocate, disrupting ecosystems.
How does El Nino affect global climate?
Changes in ocean temperature can affect weather patterns around the world, potentially leading to droughts in some areas and flooding in others.