Question

Warm surface water transported by the wind away from the South American coast is replaced by cold water rising from below in a process called upwelling. Upwelling of cold deep water results in relatively ________ SST in the eastern Pacific compared to the western Pacific.

a) Higher
b) Lower
c) Warmer
d) Cooler

Answer 1

Upwelling in the eastern Pacific results in cooler Sea Surface Temperature (SST) compared to the c. warmer SST in the western Pacific due to the rise of nutrient-rich, cold water from deeper layers.

Step-by-step explanation:

In the context of the eastern and western Pacific Ocean, upwelling in the eastern Pacific leads to colder surface waters due to the rising of deep, nutrient-rich water. This phenomenon occurs when the wind blows surface waters away from the coast, allowing colder water from the depths to replace it. Consequently, upwelling of cold deep water results in relatively cooler Sea Surface Temperature (SST) in the eastern Pacific compared to the warmer SST observed in the western Pacific.

Additionally, the upwelling zones are areas of high productivity, supporting a rich marine ecosystem due to the nutrients brought to the surface. Events such as La Niña are characterized by below-average SST in the eastern Pacific, further reinforcing the temperature difference across the equatorial Pacific.