Session1: Air-Sea Interaction

1. Temperature inversion is important because-

(i.) It keeps the vertical currents of the troposphere from spreading into the stratosphere.
(ii.)It allows movement for some of the air molecules which will eventually lower the atmospheric
pressure.
(iii.) It tends to reduce the amount of vertical motion in the stratosphere.
(iv.) It allows the pilot to take in more oxygen even at higher atmospheric levels.
a. II and III
b. I and III
c. I and II
d. All of the above

2. The wind belts that are dominating the polar regions are called-
a. Prevailing polar winds
b. Polar westerlies
c. Northeast polar winds
d. Polar easterlies
e. Southeast polar winds

3. Thermohaline circulation is that part of the ocean circulation which is driven by density differences
due to ________ and __________.
a. Temperature and friction
b. Friction and salinity
c. Salinity and temperature
d. Pressure and temperature

4. The layer of the atmosphere that has very thin air and low atmospheric pressure is-
a. Exosphere
b. Thermosphere
c. Mesosphere
d. Stratosphere
e. Troposphere

5. The layer of the atmosphere where all weather events are occurring.
a. Stratosphere
b. Thermosphere
c. Troposphere
d. Mesosphere

6. Is it true that the temperature in lower latitudes has kept on increasing over time?
a. Yes because the equator is situated closer to the sun, than the polar regions.
b. No, because heat is being balanced by atmospheric and oceanic dynamics.
c. No, because what is happening is actually the opposite.
d. Yes because of the surplus solar irradiance.

7. What are the differences between the terms “tropical cyclone”, “hurricane” and “typhoon”?
a. Cyclones are usually larger than hurricane and typhoon
b. They are synonymous.
c. Hurricane is the largest storm, followed by tropical cyclone and then the typhoon
8. Why is it that even during summer periods especially during hot, humid afternoons, people often
encounter thunderstorms about 30km from the ocean?
a. Because as the cooler ocean air pours inland, it forces the warmer, unstable humid air to
rise and then condense, producing majestic clouds and rainshowers.
b. Because in the cool ocean air, the relative humidity rises as the temperature drops, then the
vapour begins to condense upon particles of seasalt producing thunderstorms.
c. None of the statements are correct.
d. Because the air above the water remains cooler than the air over the land; hence, a shallow
thermal high exists above the water.
e. Because the warm humid air pushes the cooler air up to the atmosphere, thus initiating
condensation process.

9. The uneven distribution of solar energy on Earth influences most of the physical properties of the
atmosphere that produce atmospheric movement. Which among the following does not belong to the
said physical properties of the atmosphere?
a. Density
b. Temperature
c. Wind stress
d. Pressure differences
e. Water vapour

10. The “Southern Oscillation” in the name El Niño/Southern Oscillation refers to year-to-year
variability in the Walker Cell circulation.
a. False
b. True

11. What is true about the salinity distribution at the sea surface?
(i.) It is almost constant based on latitudinal difference.
(ii.) Unlike with sea surface temperature, highest values are not found near the equator.
(iii.) Atlantic Ocean is saltier than Pacific.
(iv.) Sea surface temperature is being affected by precipitation-evaporation dynamics.
a. i, ii, iii and iv
b. iv
c. iii
d. ii
e. ii and iv
f. iii and i
g. ii, iii and iv
h. i
i. i, ii and iii

12. Which of the following is true about the pressure in the atmosphere?
a. It is increasing as it approaches the surface.
b. Pressure in the higher atmosphere is higher than at the surface.
c. Pressure in the higher atmosphere is constantly changing due to movements of air molecules.
d. It is decreasing at it approaches the surface.

13. Coriolis effect is-

a. Always at right angle to the direction of the revolution movement of earth.
b. Always at right angle to the direction of movement relative to the rotating earth.
 c. Its magnitude is proportional to the velocity and to the angular frequency of the earths rotation
divide the sine of the angle between the directions of the velocity and of the rotation axis.
d. All of the above.

14. The movement of air within the circulation cells produces the major wind belts of the world. The air
at Earth’s surface that is moving away from the sub-tropical highs produces ______ moving toward
the equator and _________ moving toward higher latitudes. The air moving along Earth face from the
polar high to the subpolar low creates the ________.
a. Trade winds, prevailing westerlies, polar easterlies
b. Polar easterlies, trade winds, prevailing easterlies
c. Jet streams, trade winds, polar easterlies
d. Trade winds, jet streams, polar easterlies
e. Prevailing easterlies, trade winds, polar easterlies

15. The Ekman spiral:

a. is maintained by a balance of Coriolis and gravitational forces
b. is maintained by a balance of Coriolis, wind shear, and viscous (frictional) forces
c. leads to a surface current 45° to the right of the wind in the Northern Hemisphere
d. A and C are correct
e. B and C are correct

16. Which of the following statement/s is/are not true about ocean currents.
A. Ocean currents are moving energy over distances of several thousand kilometres.
B. The amount of water that is moving can be large or small.
C. Currents can be at the surface or deep below.
D. Currents transfer heat from warmer to cooler areas on earth.
a. All of the above statements are not true.
b. Only B and D are not true.
c. None. Because all of the statements are true.

No correct answers

17. Air convection is-

(i.)Warm air rises.
(ii.) Cooler air flows toward the surface.
(iii.) Warm air expands horizontally.
(iv.) Any air that rises will expand and cool, and any air that sinks is compressed and warms.
a. All of the above
b. I, II, IV
c. I and II only
d. I only
e. II, III, IV
f. III and IV

18. Seawater density can be caused by a decrease in temperature or an increase in salinity.

a. The statement is true. Temperature though, has the greater influence on density.
b. The statement is true. Density changes due to salinity are important only in very high latitudes.
c. The statement is true. But, salinity is more important than temperature, in most cases.

d. The statement is false because only salinity affects density.

e. The statement is false, neither temperature nor salinity is affecting density gradient in seawater.
 f. A and B are both correct.
g. Only B and C are correct.

19. Because it takes sound about 3 seconds to travel 1 kilometer (5 seconds for each mile), if we see
lightning and hear the thunder 15 seconds later, the lightning stroke occurred ____away.
a. 2.5km
b. 7.5km
c. 5km
d. 10km

20. Ekman transport follows that the flow directly at the surface must be at 45° to the right (northern
hemisphere) of the wind direction, that the flow speed increases exponentially with depth, and that
the direction of the flow turns clockwise with increasing depth. Find what should be the right version
of a statement from this sentence.
a. No, there are no mistakes in that sentence about Ekman transport.
b. That the direction of the flow turns clockwise with increasing pressure.
c. That the flow speed decreases exponentially with depth.
d. That the flow directly at the surface must be at 45° (northern hemisphere) of the Coriolis force.

21. A monsoon wind system that brings warm and moist air during the months of June-October is-
A. Habagat
B. Amihan
C. Northeast Monsoon
D. Southwest Monsoon
a. A&C
b. A&D
c. B&D

22. The correspondence between solar radiation and sea surface temperature is not perfect because-
a. Heat is easily absorbed by land masses than water.
b. Heat can be refracted.
c. Solar irradiance will depend on the amount of clouds present.
d. Ocean and atmosphere can carry heat also.

23. The surface boundary that separates the advancing cooler air from the surrounding warmer air is
called -
a. Isothermal layer
b. Updraft
c. Gust front
d. Downdraft

24. The distribution of the temperature at the sea surface is strongest based on-
a. Positioning of earth during its revolution
b. Polar difference.
c. Longitudinal variation
d. Latitudinal variation

25. Why do we have Hadley, Ferrel and polar cells in every hemisphere?
a. Because there are latitudinal differences in temperature.
b. Because the earth is rotating from west to east.
c. Because the air from equator moves poleward.
 d. Because the earth is round.
e. I think a-d statements are correct and valid.
f. No, I think only d is valid.

26. Ocean currents directly influence the climate adjoining landmasses. How?
a. Ocean currents initiate high evaporation and precipitation on its surface, that is exactly the
opposite of what is happening over a continent.
b. The climate over the continent is a product of ocean currents moving around the earth, carrying
different pressure gradients.
c. Ocean currents force the wind to move over the continent.
d. Ocean currents transport the air temperature over a continent.

27. Both the North Atlantic and Antarctic waters are cold due to the presence of massive sea ice. The
Antarctic however produces colder water than the North Atlantic. Given with this condition, where
can you find a column of North Atlantic water if you are to sample the vertical temperature profile
near the South Atlantic?
a. North Atlantic water won’t reach the South Atlantic.
b. Near the surface.
c. At the middle.
d. At the bottom.

28. What happens if you have two diverging ocean currents?

a. It causes upwelling of cold, nutrient-rich water.
b. It causes formation of sub-tropical gyre.
c. It causes downwelling of oxygen-rich surface waters.
d. It causes 45 degree net transport of water column.

29. Which of the following best describe the El Niño phenomenon?

a. El Niño occurs in the western Pacific where atmospheric pressure decreases, causing the trades to
weaken and reverse direction, thus carrying warm water from the east to the west.
b. El Niño occurs in the western Pacific where atmospheric pressure increases, causing stronger
trade winds, thus carrying warm water from the east to the west.
c. El Niño occurs in the eastern Pacific where atmospheric pressure decreases, causing the
trades to weaken and reverse direction, thus carrying warm water from the west to the east.
d. El Niño occurs in the eastern Pacific where atmospheric pressure increases, causing the trades to
weaken and reverse direction, thus carrying cold water from the east to the west.

30. __________represents a zone where cold, dry stable polar air is replacing warm, moist, conditionally
unstable subtropical air.
a. Cold front
b. Occluded Front
c. Stationary Front
d. Warm Front

31. Surface currents develop from friction between the ocean and the wind that blows across its surface.
Only about 2% of the wind’s energy is transferred to the ocean surface. So a 50-knot wind will create
a 1-knot current. So if you have a 2.75-knot current, what is the expected wind speed creating this
current? (Hint: 1 knot=1 nautical mile per hour= 1.85km per hour)
a. 333.45 kilometres per hour
b. 254.38 kilometres per hour (50x2.75x1.85)
c. 543.20 kilometres per hour
 d. 302.7 kilometres per hour

32. Which of the following statement/s is/are FALSE about geostrophic circulation?
A. The horizontal circulation is at right angle to the pressure gradient. (e.g. pressure varies in E-W
direction, the flow is in N-S direction)
B. In the northern hemisphere, the flow direction is such that high pressure is to the right of the
direction of the motion, on the southern hemisphere vice versa. Thus, in the northern hemisphere,
the flow around high pressure regions is clockwise; around a low pressure region, anti-clockwise
C. The flow of velocity is strongest where the pressure gradient is strongest
a. A,B,C
b. None

33. On the average, of all the solar energy that reaches the earth’s atmosphere annually, about __ percent
is reflected and scattered back to space. Of the remaining solar energy, about ___ percent is absorbed
by the atmosphere and clouds, and ____ percent is absorbed at the surface.
a. 51, 30, 19
b. 50, 25,25
c. 25, 25, 50
d. 19, 30, 51
e. 30, 19, 51

34. The Coriolis effect deflects moving water to the right of its intended path in the Northern
Hemisphere and to the left of its intended path in the Southern Hemisphere. Why then, does
upwelling tend to occur along the western margin of continents in both hemispheres?
a. Because the winds from both hemispheres flow towards the direction of the equator.
b. Because only the western margins are prone to Ekman transport.
c. Because upwelling is initiated by water movement from below to the surface and not by the
surface current.
d. Because the winds originate from the western margin, thus displacing the surface waters off the
coast.

35. As a tropical cyclone in the Northern Hemisphere moves ashore, the low-pressure center around
which the storm winds blow combined with strong onshore winds produces a high-water storm surge
that floods and batters the coast. Which area of the coast experiences the most severe storm surge?
a. Area that is hit with the left front quadrant of the hurricane.
b. Area that is hit with the right front quadrant of the hurricane.
c. Area that is hit with the east front quadrant of the hurricane.
d. Area that is hit with the west front quadrant of the hurricane.

36. The frontal boundary created between the two air masses if a cold front catches up to and overtakes a
warm front.
a. Cold front
b. Stationary Front
c. Occluded Front
d. Warm Front
No correct answers

37. What will most probably happen if our atmosphere will have no greenhouse gases?
a. Air pollution will most likely be lessen.
b. Surface temperature will remain constant all throughout the earth.
c. We will experience drop in temperature.
 d. It will be completely warm and humid.

38. As air moves away from a _____-pressure region toward a ____-pressure region , the Coriolis effect
causes the air to curve to the right in the Northern Hemisphere. This results in ______ winds around
high-pressure regions (anticyclonic flow) and ___________ winds around low-pressure regions
(cyclonic flow).
a. Low, high, clockwise, counterclockwise
b. High, low, clockwise, counterclockwise
c. Low, high, counterclockwise, clockwise
d. High, low, counterclockwise, clockwise

39. What can you expect for the wind direction in the middle and high latitudes of both hemispheres?
a. At the northern hemisphere, wind moves to the west. Opposite is happening in the southern
hemisphere.
b. Wind directions will move at opposite directions.
c. We generally find westerly winds aloft.
d. Both will have easterly winds aloft.
e. Both winds move to west.

40. The origin of cold water mass that can travel from north to south is-
a. North Pacific deep water (NPDW)
b. Antarctic intermediate water (AAIW)
c. North Atlantic deep water (NADW)
d. Circumpolar deep water (CDW)
e. Antarctic bottom water (AABW)
f. Subantarctic mode water (SAMW)

41. During El Niño/Southern Oscillation years, global weather patterns are altered, including :
a. more winter storms and rainfall in southern California
b. more fires and droughts in Indonesia and Australia
c. weaker coastal upwelling of cold, nutrient-rich water off Peru
d. all of the above
e. none of the above

42. During typical (non-El Niño/Southern Oscillation) years:

a. A pronounced atmospheric low pressure system forms over Hawaii
b. A distinctive "warm pool" of water forms in eastern tropical Pacific
c. A pronounced atmospheric low pressure system forms over the eastern tropical Pacific
d. All of the above
e. None of the above

43. What type of weather would you expect in ‘high-pressure’ areas?

a. Stormy weather
b. Combination of b and c
c. Humid with heavy precipitation
d. Cloudy weather
e. Dry with clear skies

44. What is true about the vertical distribution of temperature between tropics, mid-latitude and polar
regions during summer and winter?
(i.) In tropics, there is much variation of temperature between during summer and winter.
 (ii.) In mid-latitude, there is a big difference in terms of vertical profile at the first 200 meters during
winter and summer.
(iii.) In polar region, the vertical profile doesn’t change except after 400m and below regardless of the
season.
a. Only i is true.
b. All are true.
c. All are false.
d. Only ii and iii are true.

45. In the atmosphere, air rises at the equator, descends at mid-latitudes, rises at the polar front, and
descends at the poles.
a. True
b. False

46. The convergence of Ekman transport towards the coast drives _______, the divergence away from
the coast causes _______.
a. Ekman transport, geostrophic flow
b. Downwelling, upwelling
c. Geostrophic flow, Ekman transport
d. Upwelling, downwelling

47. We can say that a thunderstorm is at the mature stage if-

a. The top of the cloud dissipates because the cloud droplets evaporate as the drier air surrounding
the cloud mixes with it.
b. The top of the cloud, having reached a stable region of the atmosphere begins to take on the
familiar anvil shape, as upper-level winds spread the cloud’s ice crystals horizontally.
c. The downdrafts tend to dominate throughout much of the cloud.
d. A parcel of warm, humid air rises, it cools and condenses into a single cumulus cloud or a cluster
of clouds.

48. Accordingly, precipitation (e.g. rain, snow) and evaporation affect the salinity variation at the surface
of the ocean. Which of the following statement/s is/are NOT true about the surface salinity variation
at different latitudes?
(i.) At high latitudes, abundant precipitation and runoff and the melting of freshwater icebergs all
decrease salinity.
(ii.) Cooler temperature in higher latitudes limit the amount of evaporation that takes place (which
would increase salinity).
(iii).Warm dry air descend at lower latitude so evaporation rates are high and salinity increases.
(iv.) Near the equator, although evaporation rates are high, increased precipitation partially offsets the
high salinity
a. i and iii only’
b. ii and iv
c. i and ii only
d. iv only
e. All are true, no false statement mentioned.
f. All are false.

49. What is the most probable cause of the distant lightning flashes over the ocean at night?
a. Statements a and c are two relevant causes.
b. Strong winds blowing over the ocean at night.
c. Greater nighttime temperature difference between the land and the sea.
 d. Stronger pressure gradient over the ocean at night.

50. Which of the following physical properties is associated with air?

a. Refractivity
b. Conductivity
c. Viscosity
d. Density