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Visit to an Ocean Planet - Ocean Variations During an El Niño

Grade level: 9-12
Theme: ocean circulation
Activity: documents/vtop_oc_variations_el_nino.pdf

An El Niño is thought to be triggered when steady westward blowing trade winds weaken and even reverse direction in the western Pacific Ocean, near New Guinea and Australia. This change in the winds allows the large mass of warm water that is normally located in the western Pacific to move eastward along the equator until it reaches the coast of South America. This displaced pool of unusually warm water affects evaporation and where rain clouds form, altering the typical atmospheric jet stream patterns around the world. Scientists are studying information from satellites and in-water buoys to better understand the causes and effects of an El Niño.

In this activity, students will analyze satellite images of sea surface temperature, sea surface topography, and wind data from an El Niño period and compare and contrast these data with non-El Niño conditions.
 
Student Outcomes 
After completing this activity, students should be able to:

Explain the influence of the El Niño Southern Oscillation on global weather patterns. (O: 9-12)

Key:  C = climate / O = ocean circulation / T = 21st century technology / W = water cycle