Ocean Currents

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Ocean Currents
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Ocean Currents

• Surface currents
• Upper 400 m of the ocean (10)
• Deep water currents
• Thermohaline currents (90)

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Surface Currents

• Moves on or near the surface
• Controlled by 3 factors
• Air currents (WINDS)
• Earths rotation (CORIOLIS EFFECT)
• Location of continents

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Major Surface Currents

• General Circulation
• Currents travel from the Equator to the poles
• Coriolis Effect causes currents to curve to the
  right (N hemisphere)
• Creates clockwise GYRES (circulation patterns)

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The Sargasso Sea

• Calm, warm water
• Pattern of winds and currents concentrates
  floating debris (garbage)

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Deep Ocean Currents

• Affected by 2 factors
• Temperature
• (Thermo-)
• Salinity or saltiness
• (-haline)
• Deep water is cold, dense and salty
• Surface water is warmer, less dense, less salty
• Move more slowly than surface currents

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Effects on Weather Climate

• Gulf Stream Current
• Carries warm water from the equator to Northern
  Europe
• Keeps Northern Europe much warmer than it
  normally would be

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Effects on Weather Climate

• Humbolt (Peru) Current
• Cold water upwelling towards South America
• Keeps S. America cooler than it normally would be

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Effects on Weather Climate

• Local Winds
• Sea breeze blows from Sea to Land during the day
• Land breeze blows from Land to Sea during the
  night
• Due to waters high heat capacity