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Without the Coriolis effect, ocean gyres would look like this: With the Coriolis effect, they look like this: Without the Coriolis effect, water currents would form a regular and symmetrical gyre. However, because the Coriolis effect is strongest near the poles, water flowing eastward at high latitudes (red arrows) turns sooner to the right (clock- wise), "short circuiting" the gyre. And because the Coriolis effect is nonexistent at the equator, water flowing westward near the equator (green arrows) tends not to turn clockwise until it en- counters a blocking continent. Western boundary currents are therefore faster and deeper than eastern boundary currents, and the geostrophic Center of geostrophic "hill" is offset to the west. hill is offset to the west. Steep Gulf slope Stream Тор of hill Gentle slope Canary Current Sargasso Sea Water surface b A cross section of geostrophic flow in the North Atlantic. The Gulf Stream, a western boundary cur- rent, is narrow and deep and carries warm water rapidly northward. The Canary Current, an eastern boundary current, is shallow and wide and carries cold water at a much more leisurely pace. Although the gradually sloping hill is only 2 meters (6.5 feet) high and would not be apparent to anyone travel- ing from coast to coast, it is large enough to steer currents in the North Atlantic gyre. (This figure is vertically exaggerated.) Narrow, deep, warm, strong currents Broad, shallow, cold, weak currents Figure 9.13 The influence of the Coriolis effect on westward intensification. Gujween obebueg a ©Cengage Learning

Without the Coriolis effect, ocean gyres would look like this: With the Coriolis effect, they look like this: Without the Coriolis effect, water currents would form a regular and symmetrical gyre. However, because the Coriolis effect is strongest near the poles, water flowing eastward at high latitudes (red arrows) turns sooner to the right (clock- wise), "short circuiting" the gyre. And because the Coriolis effect is nonexistent at the equator, water flowing westward near the equator (green arrows) tends not to turn clockwise until it en- counters a blocking continent. Western boundary currents are therefore faster and deeper than eastern boundary currents, and the geostrophic Center of geostrophic "hill" is offset to the west. hill is offset to the west. Steep Gulf slope Stream Тор of hill Gentle slope Canary Current Sargasso Sea Water surface b A cross section of geostrophic flow in the North Atlantic. The Gulf Stream, a western boundary cur- rent, is narrow and deep and carries warm water rapidly northward. The Canary Current, an eastern boundary current, is shallow and wide and carries cold water at a much more leisurely pace. Although the gradually sloping hill is only 2 meters (6.5 feet) high and would not be apparent to anyone travel- ing from coast to coast, it is large enough to steer currents in the North Atlantic gyre. (This figure is vertically exaggerated.) Narrow, deep, warm, strong currents Broad, shallow, cold, weak currents Figure 9.13 The influence of the Coriolis effect on westward intensification. Gujween obebueg a ©Cengage Learning

Applications and Investigations in Earth Science (9th Edition)
Applications and Investigations in Earth Science (9th Edition)
9th Edition
ISBN:9780134746241
Author:Edward J. Tarbuck, Frederick K. Lutgens, Dennis G. Tasa
Publisher:Edward J. Tarbuck, Frederick K. Lutgens, Dennis G. Tasa
Chapter1: The Study Of Minerals
Section: Chapter Questions
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Would you expect westward intensification in the southern Hemisphere, or would the situation be reversed?

Without the Coriolis effect, ocean gyres would look like this: With the Coriolis effect, they look like this: Without the Coriolis effect, water currents would form a regular and symmetrical gyre. However, because the Coriolis effect is strongest near the poles, water flowing eastward at high latitudes (red arrows) turns sooner to the right (clock- wise), "short circuiting" the gyre. And because the Coriolis effect is nonexistent at the equator, water flowing westward near the equator (green arrows) tends not to turn clockwise until it en- counters a blocking continent. Western boundary currents are therefore faster and deeper than eastern boundary currents, and the geostrophic Center of geostrophic "hill" is offset to the west. hill is offset to the west. Steep Gulf slope Stream Тор of hill Gentle slope Canary Current Sargasso Sea Water surface b A cross section of geostrophic flow in the North Atlantic. The Gulf Stream, a western boundary cur- rent, is narrow and deep and carries warm water rapidly northward. The Canary Current, an eastern boundary current, is shallow and wide and carries cold water at a much more leisurely pace. Although the gradually sloping hill is only 2 meters (6.5 feet) high and would not be apparent to anyone travel- ing from coast to coast, it is large enough to steer currents in the North Atlantic gyre. (This figure is vertically exaggerated.) Narrow, deep, warm, strong currents Broad, shallow, cold, weak currents Figure 9.13 The influence of the Coriolis effect on westward intensification. Gujween obebueg a ©Cengage Learning
Transcribed Image Text:Without the Coriolis effect, ocean gyres would look like this: With the Coriolis effect, they look like this: Without the Coriolis effect, water currents would form a regular and symmetrical gyre. However, because the Coriolis effect is strongest near the poles, water flowing eastward at high latitudes (red arrows) turns sooner to the right (clock- wise), "short circuiting" the gyre. And because the Coriolis effect is nonexistent at the equator, water flowing westward near the equator (green arrows) tends not to turn clockwise until it en- counters a blocking continent. Western boundary currents are therefore faster and deeper than eastern boundary currents, and the geostrophic Center of geostrophic "hill" is offset to the west. hill is offset to the west. Steep Gulf slope Stream Тор of hill Gentle slope Canary Current Sargasso Sea Water surface b A cross section of geostrophic flow in the North Atlantic. The Gulf Stream, a western boundary cur- rent, is narrow and deep and carries warm water rapidly northward. The Canary Current, an eastern boundary current, is shallow and wide and carries cold water at a much more leisurely pace. Although the gradually sloping hill is only 2 meters (6.5 feet) high and would not be apparent to anyone travel- ing from coast to coast, it is large enough to steer currents in the North Atlantic gyre. (This figure is vertically exaggerated.) Narrow, deep, warm, strong currents Broad, shallow, cold, weak currents Figure 9.13 The influence of the Coriolis effect on westward intensification. Gujween obebueg a ©Cengage Learning
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