Discussion Week 3
Discussion Assignment
Read the Week 3 Resources. The discussion prompts below are mostly related to the chapter texts after section 10.3 “Atmosphere-Ocean Interactions”. The discussion forum is slightly different this week in terms of when you access your group members’ post. You can only see others’ post after you post your own.
Check discussion_rubric to see what criteria and grading scale I am using to grade your discussion activity. The content example mentioned on rubric applies to this week's question. For example, if the criteria mentions precipitation-pressure relation on the rubric, that is let's say Ekman Spiral and swimming in summer or El Nino etc. for this week.
Remember your initial response to questions are due on Friday, September 13th by 11:59 PM, and feedback to minimum of one post is due on Saturday, September 14th.
Question 1. (4 points)
Why the atmosphere in the vicinity of Grand Banks of Newfoundland is among the foggiest of the world?
Question 2. (5 points)
Why swimming along the coast of Northern California in summer is only for hardy souls (not a pleasure act for ordinary people like in Atlantic Coast)? Explain it using the reference of Ekman Spiral and upwelling.
Question 3. (8 points)
What is El Niño?
i) How did this special current get its name? Explain.
ii) Why does the ocean become so warm during an El Niño event?
iii) How was the very strong El Niño responsible for what happened weather-wise in Texas, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Northeast Pacific during 2014-2016?
Question 4. (5 points)
Looking at Fig. 10.24a, what might you conclude about the typical frequency of El Niño and La Niña events if you looked only at the 1970s? The 1990s? How long a period of time would you need to analyze in order for the number of El Niño and La Niña events to be roughly equal?
Feedback to minimum of one other post: (3 points)
Instructions for initial Post:
→ I suggest you draft your initial response on a word document so that you have opportunity to edit and finalize it before posting. When you write your initial answer, please follow the following rules:
a. The answer with adequate explanation will be valued in grading.
b. Use formal language to discuss concepts/figures or scenarios.
c. Include example/s when possible.
d. Write thought-provoking post so that you can entice your classmates for feedback.
→ Once your draft is finalized. Hit the discussion link of the question you are answering on this activity page. You will see the text of each question on there. Hit “Reply” on the bottom for that question and then put your name as the subject line and copy-paste your answer on the main body of the question forum from word document.
→ Finally, hit “post to forum”, which then will be viewable to your peers to provide you feedback.
Instructions for feedback
While providing feedback to your peer’s post, please keep in mind the following purposes and rules a proper feedback should serve:
- Make your feedback purposeful by expressing your opinions of agreement or disagreement, helping to explain it further, tying ideas, asking to elaborate, and sharing personal experiences
- Use a respectful and dialoging language. Provide the reasons to agree/disagree with personal experiences or research findings.
- If you are not entirely sure about any idea, ask for clarifications
- Demonstrate your understanding by expanding the initial post, be succinct here
- Please be courteous