El Niño Effects and Characteristics

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 stay the same.

• The population will increase.

• The population will decrease.

• Nothing will happen to the population.

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