Deck 3: Climate Oscillations and Climate Change

Question 1

An example of a climate oscillation is

A) The steady rise of sea level for the past 100 years
B) ENSO
C) Random change observed in the past 15 years of coastal flooding
D) The steady loss of sea ice in the summer in the Arctic Ocean

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has increased over the past century

A) Only because of deforestation
B) Only because of fossil fuel burning
C) Because of a and b, and other sources
D) None of the above

Answer 2

C

Question 3

Sea surface temperature has

A) Increased the same amount over the past 100 years, irrespective of latitude
B) Increased along a straight-line trajectory over the past 100 years
C) Increased much more at the Equator and much less along the poles
D) Increased differently at different locations and at different decades in the past 100 years

Answer 3

D

Question 4

ENSOs are associated with

A) Increased upwelling off the coast of California
B) A deeper thermocline off the coast of Peru
C) Localized changes in water temperature confined to Peru
D) None of the above

Question 5

Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere

A) Can be explained mainly by human additions from industrial activity
B) Has increased only in the past decade
C) Has declined since new regulations have taken effect
D) Has increased over the past 150 years in the atmosphere

Question 6

The North Atlantic Oscillation

A) Only affects climate in the open North Atlantic
B) May strongly affect sea level rise
C) Can have major effects on estuaries in northern Europe
D) Has an oscillatory period of 100 years

Question 7

The Pacific Decadal Oscillation

A) Has its effects concentrated only in the coastal zone off of Japan
B) May strongly affect long-term sea level rise
C) Has a precise 10-year oscillation cycle
D) Can bring cold water species south along the west coast of North America

Question 8

Climate oscillations

A) Can affect both the Atlantic and the Pacific oceans
B) Never occur in conjunction with longer-term trends
C) Usually affect only one ocean
D) Never have an oscillatory period less than 20 years