Activity 4 -
El Nino and Ocean Circulation:
Taking a Closer Look
Use the resources listed below to help you complete this activity.
To learn more about this topic, visit the following
web sites:
El Nino and non-El Nino Conditions
"El
Nino Theme Page" - TOGA - TAO, NOAA
Page contains links to cover a wide range of topics, including
definitions of El Nino and La Nina, impacts of El Nino, predicting
El Nino, 3-D animations of El Nino temperatures, and information
on finding El Nino data.
"El
Nino: Facts, figures, images, and predictions" Mariner, V.A., 1998, College and Research Libraries,
v. 59, no. 9
Online article explains how to use the Internet to research El
Nino. Includes multiple links on El Nino, grouped by "topic",
including the current status of El Nino, forecasting El Nino,
El Nino information from the mass media, images of El Nino, and
more.
"NOAA
El Nino Page"
Site contains an image of current sea-surface temperature anomalies
which is updated regularly. Site also contains links to El Nino
images and information, including a list of El Nino-related web
sites.
"El
Nino/La Nina Home" - NOAA Climate Prediction Center
Includes links to information on ENSO forecasts, an "expert
assessment" (updated weekly), ENSO figures (updated weekly),
and a list of FAQ. Also includes an online tutorial which contains
numerous color images.
"CDC's
El Nino/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) Information" - NOAA/CIRES
Climate Diagnostics Center
This site links to information on the science behind ENSO, current
ocean/atmosphere conditions, impacts of ENSO on climate, forecasts,
current research, and links to educational resources.
The Equatorial Pacific and El Nino
El Nino Watch -
NASA
Find images of the Pacific
from space (including sea surface images, water vapor, SST anomalies,
surface winds, El Nino animations), an ENSO "primer"
(a thorough review of ENSO, presented in audiovisual format with
color images and text), links to related NASA research projects,
and more.
"USGS
New and Information on El Nino" - USGS
This site focuses on the impacts of El Nino, including coastal
erosion, flooding, landslides, storms, and climate change. Click
on link to open the article of interest.
"List
of Impacts and Prediction Benefits" - PMEL (NOAA)
Click on link to find further information on the impacts of El
Nino, such as El Nino and tornado occurances, El Nino and hurricane
frequency, coral reef bleaching, El Nino and marine fish and birds,
and more.
"El
Nino Sea-Level Rise Wreaks Havoc in California's San Fransico
Bay Region" - USGS Fact Sheet 175-99
Online fact sheet (can also be downloaded and printed in PDF format)
looks at the impact of the 1997-1998 El Nino event on the Bay
area. Site includes damage photos, sea level data, upwelling images,
and an explanation of Kelvin waves and their impact.
TOPEX/POSEIDON
- University of Texas at Austion, Center for Space Research
TAO Project
- NOAA's Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory
To learn more about La Nina, visit the following
web sites:
"La
Nina Page" - NOAA
Includes links to general La Nina information, such as climate
data for past La Nina events, forecasts, and the impacts of La
Nina.
"What
is La Nina?" - NOAA Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory
Site includes color animations comparing La Nina, El Nino, and
"normal" conditions, a review of the impacts that La
Nina has had on the global climate, and links to further information.
"El
Nino/La Nina Home" - NOAA Climate Prediction Center
Includes links to information on ENSO forecasts, an "expert
assessment" (updated weekly), ENSO figures (updated weekly),
and a list of FAQ. Also includes an online tutorial which contains
numerous color images.
This
project is supported, in part, by the National
Science Foundation and the AGI
Foundation. Opinions expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily
those of the Foundation.
