Currents of the Ocean

Two main sections of ocean water ocean water ocean water surface layer surface layer the deep waters the deep waters the deep waters the deep waters

surface layer  layer at the top of the ocean  well mixed by waves, tides, and weather events like rain or a hurricane.  sits on top of the deep water because the surface layer is less dense  depth is typically a couple hundred meters

The pycnocline (meaning rapid change of density) pycnocline separates the surface layer of the ocean from the deep ocean separates the surface layer of the ocean from the deep ocean Deep ocean water has a temperature of about 3 degrees Celsius Deep ocean water has a temperature of about 3 degrees Celsiustemperature a salinity measuring about psu a salinity measuring about psusalinitypsusalinitypsu

The Deep Waters most of the water in the ocean (90% by volume) is actually found below the surface layer most of the water in the ocean (90% by volume) is actually found below the surface layer surface water that sinks in the North Atlantic Ocean surface water that sinks in the North Atlantic Ocean Here water becomes very cold and very salty Here water becomes very cold and very salty

A schematic showing the ocean "conveyor belt", where surface waters sink, enter deep water circulation, then resurface after slowly flowing through the deep ocean.

Currents Surface water movement takes place in the form of currents. Surface water movement takes place in the form of currents. move ocean water horizontally move ocean water horizontally driven mainly by the wind driven mainly by the windwind Other forces such as the Coriolis effect and the location of land masses do affect surface current patterns Other forces such as the Coriolis effect and the location of land masses do affect surface current patternsthe Coriolis effectthe Coriolis effect

Low and high pressure circulations are reversed in opposite hemispheres The Earth's spin causes the wind to curve. This is called the Coriolis Effect.wind

Currents circulation of water helps spread energy from the Sun circulation of water helps spread energy from the Sunthe Sunthe Sun The Sun warms water at the equator and then water and heat are transported to higher latitudes. The Sun warms water at the equator and then water and heat are transported to higher latitudes.

Major ocean currents of the world North & South Equatorial Current North & South Equatorial Current Equatorial Counter Current Equatorial Counter Current North Atlantic Drift North Atlantic Drift Gulf Stream Gulf Stream Kuroshio Current (off of Japan) Kuroshio Current (off of Japan) Antarctic Circumpolar Current Antarctic Circumpolar Current East Australian current East Australian current

Upwelling Upwelling is a term used to denote water that rises to the ocean's surface from depth. It is caused by wind patterns, and is beneficial because the cold, deep water contains nutrients and dissolved gases, that with sunlight, create favorable conditions in which phytoplankton can photosynthesize. Phytoplankton are the base of oceanic food webs; therefore, areas of upwelling are important ecologically and economically. Upwelling is a term used to denote water that rises to the ocean's surface from depth. It is caused by wind patterns, and is beneficial because the cold, deep water contains nutrients and dissolved gases, that with sunlight, create favorable conditions in which phytoplankton can photosynthesize. Phytoplankton are the base of oceanic food webs; therefore, areas of upwelling are important ecologically and economically.