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Ocean Currents

Ocean Currents. Ocean Currents. Mass movement or flow of ocean water River within the ocean (“Conveyor Belt”) Two types Surface Deep (or Subsurface). Ocean Currents Vocabulary. Gyre: Nearly closed current system in the open ocean. Clockwise pattern in N. Hemisphere

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Ocean Currents

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  1. Ocean Currents

  2. Ocean Currents • Mass movement or flow of ocean water • River within the ocean (“Conveyor Belt”) • Two types • Surface • Deep (or Subsurface)

  3. Ocean Currents Vocabulary Gyre: Nearly closed current system in the open ocean • Clockwise pattern in N. Hemisphere • Counter-clockwise pattern in S. Hemisphere

  4. Ocean Currents Vocabulary Continued… • Meander – Bend in a current’s flow • Ring – Large, whirl-like pattern (when a meander is cut off) • Eddy – Small current Ring

  5. Surface Current Link • Horizontal, stream-like movements of water that occur at or near the surface of the ocean • Can reach depths of several hundred meters

  6. Surface Currents continued… • Controlled by three factors • Global winds • Coriolis Effect • Continental Deflections

  7. Surface Currents continued… • Global Winds • Cause surface currents to flow in the direction the wind is blowing • Coriolis Effect Link • Apparent curving of moving objects (ie- Water) due to the Earth’s rotation

  8. Surface Currents continued… • Coriolis Effect • Northern Hemisphere = clockwise • Southern Hemisphere = counter clockwise • Continental Deflections • Shape of continents change the direction of current flow

  9. Deep Currents • Stream like movement of ocean water far below the surface • Caused by changes in density • Change in temperature • Change in salinity

  10. Deep Currents continued… • Change in temperature • Decreasing the temperature of water increases density • Change in salinity • Increasing the salinity of water increases density

  11. Surface currents and climate • Warm water currents • On the east coasts of continents • Bring warm water to colder regions

  12. Surface currents and climate • Cold water currents • On the west coasts of continents • Bring cold water to warmer regions

  13. Upwelling Link • The movement of deep, cold, nutrient rich water to the surface • Nutrients promote growth of fish and plants • Areas are important fishing grounds

  14. Downwelling • The movement of warm surface waters towards the coast • Causes a thickening of the surface waters which causes them to sink

  15. Causes of warm and cold currents • El Niño • Change in the water temperature in the Pacific Ocean that produces a warm current

  16. Causes of warm and cold currents • La Niña • Change in the eastern Pacific Ocean in which the surface water temperature becomes unusually cool

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