Title: Cold/Warm Core Rings Category: Physical Subcategory: Difficulty: Unknown Year 2004 Bowl: Shore Bowl Author: C. Grant Law Contact info: ext 310 IMCS, Rutgers University 71 Dudley Rd. New Brunswick, NJ 08901

QUESTION Round:Time: 2 minutesStandard/Category: Physical QUESTION: This false-color satellite image of the gulf stream displays warmer water in red and cooler water in blue. 1)What are the round, swirling structures peeling away from the gulf stream? Provide names for both A and B. (2 points each) 2)Draw cross-sections for A and B showing sea surface and thermocline. (2 points for each correctly drawn feature, for a total of 8 possible points) 3) Structures like A have been shown to have dramatic effects on the deep sea floor. Identify two ways benthic communities may be effected. (5 points each) A B

ANSWER Round:Time: 2 minutesStandard/Category: Physical QUESTION/ANSWERS: 1)What are the round, swirling structures peeling away from the gulf stream? Provide names for both A and B. (2 points each) ANSWER:- A is a cold-core ring (or eddy) (2 points) - B is a warm-core ring (or eddy) (2 points) 2)Draw cross-sections for A and B showing sea surface and thermocline. (2 points for each correctly drawn feature, for a total of 8 possible points) 3)Structures like A have been shown to have dramatic effects on the deep sea floor. Identify two ways benthic communities may be effected. (5 points each) ANSWER:- Turbulence generated by the swiftly rotating ring can reach the seafloor, generating benthic ‘storms’ which resuspend sediment and disrupt benthic communities. (5 points) - Higher productivity due to upwelling can cause large amounts of organic compounds to rain down to the seafloor, providing food for the benthic communities. (5 points) AB 2 points SSverdrup, KA et al An Introduction to the World’s Oceans. McGraw-Hill (Figure 8.8)