Ocean Currents

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Ocean Currents

• Surface currents
• Underwater currents

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Currents

• These can be defined as any continuous flow of
  water broad path in the ocean.
• In the Northern Hemisphere they move clockwise
• In the Southern Hemisphere they move
  counter-clockwise

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North or South
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What drives currents

• Winds which tend to blow in directions fairly
  constant directions all across the globe.
• Trade winds Westerly winds
• Both located in belts around the world

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Warm currents

• The currents flow away from the equator usually
  on the West side of the ocean basins

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Gulf Rings
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Cold Currents and Warm Currents
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Counter Currents

• Flow in the opposite direction of the
  wind-related currents, some of them flow at the
  surface, while others flow below the surface.

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What patterns are there?
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Density Currents
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Upwelling