Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 12, 2026
10:28
Investigating the Relationship between Sea Surface Chlorophyll and Major Features of the South China Sea with Satellite Information
Published on: June 13, 2020
Equatorial undercurrent disappears during 1982-1983 el nino.
Science (New York, N.Y.)
|December 9, 1983
Summary
The equatorial undercurrent vanished in 1982 due to El Niño-driven winds, then reappeared in 1983. This highlights the impact of major climate events on ocean currents.
Area of Science:
- Oceanography
- Climate Science
- Pacific Oceanography
Background:
- The equatorial undercurrent is a significant feature of the Pacific Ocean's circulation.
- The 1982-1983 El Niño event was a major climate anomaly with widespread impacts.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the behavior of the equatorial undercurrent during the 1982-1983 El Niño event.
- To investigate the relationship between wind patterns and ocean current dynamics.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of oceanographic data from the Pacific.
- Monitoring of sea surface slope and current velocity.
Main Results:
- The equatorial undercurrent at 159 degrees W decayed significantly in August 1982.
- The undercurrent partially reversed in September 1982 and rapidly reappeared in January 1983.
- Observed changes correlate with basin-wide sea surface slope adjustments to strong westerly winds.
Conclusions:
- The disappearance and reappearance of the equatorial undercurrent were directly influenced by the anomalous westerly winds associated with the 1982-1983 El Niño.
- Sea surface slope adjustments play a crucial role in regulating equatorial undercurrent behavior during extreme climate events.
Related Concept Videos
01:28Magnetostatic Boundary Conditions
An electric field suffers a discontinuity at a surface charge. Similarly, a magnetic field is discontinuous at a surface current. The perpendicular component of a magnetic field is continuous across the interface of two magnetic mediums. In contrast, its parallel component, perpendicular to the current, is discontinuous by the amount equal to the product of the vacuum permeability and the surface current. Like the scalar potential in electrostatics, the vector potential is also continuous...
01:25Eddy Currents
Since eddy currents occur only in conductors, magnets can separate metals from other materials. For example, in a recycling center, trash is dumped in batches down a ramp, beneath which lies a powerful magnet. Conductors in the trash are slowed by eddy currents, while nonmetals in the trash move on, separating from the metals. This works for all metals, not just ferromagnetic ones.
Other major applications of eddy currents appear in metal detectors and the braking systems of trains and roller...
Other major applications of eddy currents appear in metal detectors and the braking systems of trains and roller...
01:19Magnetic Declination
Magnetic declination is the angle between true north, which aligns with the Earth's rotational axis, and magnetic north, which follows the direction of the Earth's magnetic field. This discrepancy exists because the magnetic poles do not coincide with the geographic poles. The value of magnetic declination depends on the observer's location on Earth and is subject to changes over time due to the dynamic nature of the Earth's magnetic field.The declination is called eastern when magnetic north...
01:16Electrostatic Boundary Conditions
Consider an external electric field propagating through a homogeneous medium. When the electric field crosses the surface boundary of the medium, it undergoes a discontinuity. The electric field can be resolved into normal and tangential components. The amount by which the field changes at any boundary is given by the difference between the field components above and below the surface boundary.
The surface integral of an electric field is given by Gauss's law in integral form and is related to...
The surface integral of an electric field is given by Gauss's law in integral form and is related to...
01:21Isochoric and Isobaric Processes
A thermodynamic process that occurs at constant volume is called an isochoric process. According to the first law of thermodynamics, heat supplied or removed from the system is partially utilized to perform work and change the internal energy of the system. However, in an isochoric process, the volume remains constant. Hence, the work done by the system is zero. Therefore, the exchange of heat changes the internal energy of the system only.
Suppose 1000 g of water is heated from 40 degrees...
Suppose 1000 g of water is heated from 40 degrees...
01:18Boundary Layer Characteristics
When a fluid encounters a solid surface, a boundary layer forms due to the interaction between the fluid's motion and the stationary surface. This phenomenon is characterized by a thin region adjacent to the surface where viscous forces dominate, influencing the fluid's velocity profile. The development of the boundary layer begins at the leading edge of the surface and evolves as the fluid moves downstream.As the fluid flows over the surface, friction between the fluid and the wall slows down...