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Difficulty: MediumRecognizing Explicit Cause and Effect

Each summer, massive plumes of dry, mineral-rich air known as the Saharan Air Layer (SAL) drift westward across the Atlantic Ocean. This atmospheric phenomenon plays a critical role in regulating tropical cyclone activity. The SAL is characterized by extremely low humidity, strong wind shear, and high concentrations of airborne dust particles. When the SAL encounters a developing tropical disturbance, its dry air acts as a sponge, absorbing moisture from the surrounding environment. Because tropical storms rely on warm, humid air to fuel their updrafts, this sudden ingestion of dry air immediately weakens the storm’s convective core. Furthermore, the strong horizontal winds within the SAL generate intense wind shear, which disrupts the vertical alignment of the storm's circulation, preventing it from organizing into a cohesive system. Finally, the mineral dust itself reflects incoming solar radiation back into space, cooling the sea surface temperatures below. This thermal cooling reduces the ocean's evaporation rate, which in turn deprives the storm of the heat energy necessary to sustain or intensify its structure.

According to the passage, the ocean's evaporation rate is reduced as a direct result of which of the following?

  1. A
    The decline in the ocean's evaporation rate cooling the sea surface temperatures below
  2. The lowering of sea surface temperatures due to mineral dust reflecting solar radiationAnswer
  3. C
    The generation of intense wind shear that disrupts the vertical alignment of the storm's circulation
  4. D
    The absorption of solar radiation by mineral dust to warm the surrounding atmosphere

Answer

The lowering of sea surface temperatures due to mineral dust reflecting solar radiation
The passage explicitly states that mineral dust reflects incoming solar radiation back into space, cooling the sea surface temperatures below, and that this thermal cooling reduces the ocean's evaporation rate. Thus, the reduction in the evaporation rate is caused by the lowering of sea surface temperatures.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Locate the mention of the ocean's evaporation rate in the passage.
The text states, 'This thermal cooling reduces the ocean's evaporation rate...'
Identifying the target effect allows us to trace its direct cause in the preceding sentence.
2
Identify the cause of the 'thermal cooling' mentioned in the text.
The preceding sentence states, 'Finally, the mineral dust itself reflects incoming solar radiation back into space, cooling the sea surface temperatures below.'
This establishes that the reflection of solar radiation by mineral dust cools the sea surface, and this cooling directly causes the reduction in the evaporation rate.

Key Concept

Recognizing Explicit Cause and Effect
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Topics

Recognizing Explicit Cause and Effect

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