What role do ocean currents play in the distribution of sea ice?
What will be an ideal response?
The asymmetric nature of the ice margin in the Arctic Ocean reflects the influence of the continental configurations and the ocean circulation: the ice margin extends well to the south in both the western North Atlantic and western North Pacific. At the eastern margins of both oceans, open water extends much farther north off Norway and Alaska. The shape of the ice margin reflects the pattern of ocean currents discussed in Chapter 5. The warm waters of the North Atlantic Drift and the Kuroshio Current prevent the ice margins from extending farther south in the eastern oceans, whereas the East Greenland Current, the Labrador Current, and the Oyoshio Current bring colder water and carry increased ice cover southward in the west. The ice distribution helps illustrate one of the important facts about the sea-ice cover: Sea ice moves. As with the ice sheets, the ice does not simply form and melt in place; rather, it is in a constant state of motion.
You might also like to view...
Solar system planets are classified as either ________ or _______ planets based upon their
chemical and physical properties. Fill in the blank(s) with the appropriate word(s).
As of 2010, the United States was home to approximately 310 million people, and was the third-most populated country in the world, after China and Russia.
a. true b. false
What is the volume occupied by a 8.00 gram sample of molecular oxygen at STP?
A) 5.60 L B) 11.2 L C) 22.4 L D) 44.8 L
A shield volcano has a great ________.
A. width compared to its height B. amount of pumice C. proportion of pyroclastic material, compared with lava flows D. height compared to its width