Final answer:
The broad pattern of SST anomalies across the tropical equatorial Pacific region generally shows a gradually increasing b.negative value, indicating a cooling trend over time.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student's question concerns the broad pattern of current Sea Surface Temperature (SST) anomalies across the tropical equatorial Pacific region. When analyzing such patterns, scientists look at SST anomalies that are generally either positive (indicating warmer than average temperatures) or negative (indicating cooler than average temperatures). Based on the provided reference information, the correct answer to the pattern of SST anomalies, which would typically be associated with phenomena like El Niño events, would be showing values that are:
b) A gradually increasing negative value (straight line). This suggests that the SST anomalies were consistently becoming more negative over a period, indicating a cooling trend.
The broad pattern of current SST anomalies, in general, across the tropical equatorial Pacific region (from 5° north and south) shows that the values were initially positive, but steadily decreased and became negative at the end. This implies that the sea surface temperature anomalies started off warmer than average but gradually cooled and eventually became cooler than average.