Surface currents
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Surface currents in the oceans are caused by wind blowing over the water and the Coriolis effect. The Coriolis effect causes wind-driven surface waters to curve clockwise in the northern hemisphere and counterclockwise in the southern hemisphere, forming massive circular gyre systems in the major ocean basins. These wind patterns and the Coriolis effect result in western boundary currents along the western edges of oceans that are stronger than the eastern boundary currents along eastern edges due to increased Coriolis effect at higher latitudes, such as the Gulf Stream current.
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Surface currents
- 2. Surface Currents horizontal wind-driven caused by friction between wind and water wind blows water, but then Coriolis effect affects direction of water movement
- 4. Coriolis Effect wind blows the water, but then water is deflected clockwise or counterclockwise results in: gyres – massive circular systems of wind-driven surface currents – similar patterns in Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans
- 5. main gyres in the world’s ocean northern hemisphere - clockwise southern hemisphere - counterclockwise
- 7. wind patterns and Coriolis effect result in the major currents in the ocean
- 16. Western Boundary Currents along western edge of ocean basins strongest currents in oceans in part due to amplification of Coriolis effect at higher latitudes ex: Gulf Stream Current
- 17. Eastern Boundary Currents along eastern edge of ocean basins much weaker ex: Canary Current
- 18. western boundary currents are stronger than eastern boundary currents
- 19. The Gulf Stream known for years that currents could help ships travel faster Benjamin Franklin had first map of Gulf Stream Current made
- 20. The Gulf Stream western boundary current in North Atlantic strongest current in ocean separates cold northern water from warmer water of the Sargasso Sea
- 21. The Gulf Stream Current
- 22. Eddies also called warm core rings break off of currents can transport tropical organisms to Long Island waters
- 23. how eddies form