OCEANS and CURRENTS

World Oceans ARCTIC OCEAN ATLANTIC OCEAN PACIFIC OCEAN INDIAN OCEAN

Coriolis Effect tps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rd GtcZSFRLk Wind affected by spinning of earth Air is prevented from flowing in a continuous loop from pole to pole, it travels in a circle from pole to equator Clockwise in Northern Hemisphere Counterclockwise in Southern Hemisphere Ocean currents move in this same pattern tps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rd GtcZSFRLk

Coriolis Effect:

Thermohaline Circulation: Cold water moves under warm water along the ocean floor from poles to equator

Importance of Currents: Affect climate Influence fishing Distribute oxygen Deep currents distribute O2 to deep water organisms Surface currents used by man for ocean travel

Currents affected by: Prevailing winds Temperature

Deep Ocean Currents also affected by: Density of water (determined by temperature and salinity) Antarctica has the densest water in the world

Surface Current: Longshore Current – moves in direction water is “pushed” when waves hit shore at an angle (what carries you down the shoreline)

Longshore Current: WAVES LONGSHORE CURRENT SHORELINE Littoral Drift – sand carried down shore by longshore current

Surface Current: Rip Current – incorrectly called undertow, they do not pull you down, they move you outward – the rapid movement will knock you off your feet

Rip Current caused by: Build up of water (accumulation of longshore currents) Convergence of water (two longshore currents converge)

Accumulation Convergence LS LS LS RIP RIP

Deep Water Currents: Have a residence time of between 500 to 1600 years. In other words, before that water mixes in with other water, 1600 years may have passed. SOUTH NORTH Antarctic Intermediate Current North Atlantic Deep Current Antarctic Bottom Current

Deep Water Currents Caused by density differences Cold, dense water sinks at one pole and flows toward opposite pole Densest water in world is at Antarctica – so deepest bottom current forms here Provide Oxygen to benthic organisms