1. Ocean Currents

2. Ocean Currents are powered by Huge Spinning Gyres
North Atlantic Gyre:
Clockwise
South Atlantic Gyre:
Counter-Clockwise

3. Ocean Currents are powered by Huge Spinning Gyres:
Gyres are actually huge spinning mounds of ocean water.

4. Ocean Currents are powered by 5 Huge Spinning Gyres
North Pacific Gyre
N. Atlantic Gyre
South Pacific Gyre
S. Atlantic Gyre
Indian Gyre

5. Ocean Currents are powered by 5 Huge Spinning Gyres
North Pacific Gyre
N. Atlantic Gyre
South Pacific Gyre
S. Atlantic Gyre
Indian Gyre

6. The World’s Major Ocean Currents

7. North America’s Major Ocean Currents – Pacific Coast

8. North America’s Major Ocean Currents – Atlantic Coast

9. The Gulf Stream is part of a larger circular system of currents circling the North Atlantic Gyre

10. Ben Franklin’s Map of the Gulf Stream

11. Modern Map of the Gulf Stream and Nearby Currents

12. Meanders in the Gulf Stream
Satellite Map
Gulf Stream
Meanders

13. Meanders in the Gulf Stream
Infrared Satellite Map (Yellow, Orange & Red are warm water.)

14. Cold Core and Warm Core Ring Eddies in the Gulf Stream (Plankton Map)
(Blue and Green are warm water.)

15. Infrared Map Showing Warm Core (Yellow) and Cold Core Ring (Green) Eddies

16. Plankton Map Showing Warm Core Ring Eddies (Blue)

17. Plankton Map Baja California Showing:
Good Fishin’ Here!!!
Plankton Map Baja California Showing:
Dense Plankton (Red)
Moderate Plankton (Yellow)
Fairly Clear Water (Green)
Clear Blue Water (Dark Blue)

18. North Atlantic Current (Drift) - northern extension of the Gulf Stream

19. The Gulf Stream is just part of the “Global Conveyor Belt”
Click on picture to go to animated conveyor belt:
deep water formation
deep water formation
warm water formation
warm water formation
deep current
deep water formation

20. The “Global Conveyor Belt” – Another Look
Click on picture to go to animated conveyor belt:
deep water formation
deep water formation
warm water formation
warm water formation
deep current
deep water formation

21. Gulf Stream and North Atlantic Drift
NADW= North Atlantic Deep Water Current –carries cold water south

22. Alaska
Greenland

23. What happens to the “Conveyor Belt” if the Greenland Ice Pack Melts??
Click on map to see movie:

25. Cross Section of a Warm Core Ring Eddy