- "An ocean current is a continuous, directed movement of seawater generated by a number of forces acting upon the water, including wind, the Coriolis effect, breaking waves, cabbeling, and temperature and salinity differences."
The study of the movement of the Earth's oceans, including temperature, salinity, and other factors that affect weather patterns and climate.
Oceanography: The study of the physical, biological, and geological aspects of the ocean.
Thermohaline circulation: A key component of the global ocean circulation, driven by factors such as temperature and salt concentration.
Gyres: Large-scale circular ocean currents that are driven by global wind patterns and Earth's rotation.
Equatorial currents: Ocean currents that flow from east to west along the equator, driven by the trade winds.
Coastal currents: Ocean currents that flow parallel to the shore, driven by temperature differences and wind patterns.
Upwelling: The movement of deep, nutrient-rich water towards the surface, driven by offshore winds and ocean currents.
El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO): A climate cycle that affects global ocean currents and weather patterns, caused by changes in the temperature of the equatorial Pacific Ocean.
Ocean eddies: Circular patterns of water that persist for several months or years, driven by ocean currents and environmental factors.
Ocean-atmosphere interaction: The dynamic relationship between the ocean and the atmosphere, which affects global climate patterns and ocean circulation.
Tides: The periodic rise and fall of sea levels, caused by the gravitational pull of the Moon and Sun.
Surface currents: These are currents that travel along the ocean's surface due to the wind.
Deep ocean currents: These are currents that travel beneath the surface due to the differences in water density.
Antarctic Circumpolar Current: This is a powerful current that flows around Antarctica, connecting the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans.
Kuroshio Current: This current flows along the eastern coast of Japan and into the western Pacific Ocean.
Gulf Stream: This is a warm current that travels from the Gulf of Mexico through the Atlantic Ocean and up to the coast of Europe.
California Current: This current flows down the western coast of the United States and into the Pacific Ocean.
Equatorial Currents: These are currents that flow along the equator and are affected by the Coriolis effect.
Canary Current: This is a cool current that flows from the northwestern coast of Africa to the eastern coast of the United States.
North Atlantic Drift: This is a warm current that flows from the Gulf of Mexico through the Atlantic Ocean and up to the coast of Europe, similar to the Gulf Stream.
Benguela Current: This is a cool current that flows along the southwestern coast of Africa and into the South Atlantic Ocean.
- "Depth contours, shoreline configurations, and interactions with other currents influence a current's direction and strength."
- "An ocean current flows for great distances and together they create the global conveyor belt."
- "Ocean currents influence the temperature of the regions through which they travel."
- "Warm currents traveling along more temperate coasts increase the temperature of the area by warming the sea breezes that blow over them."
- "Perhaps the most striking example is the Gulf Stream, which, together with its extension the North America Drift, makes northwest Europe much more temperate for its high latitude than other areas at the same latitude."
- "Another example is Lima, Peru, whose cooler subtropical climate contrasts with that of its surrounding tropical latitudes because of the Humboldt Current."
- "Ocean currents are patterns of water movement that influence climate zones and weather patterns around the world."
- "They are primarily driven by winds and by seawater density."
- "Many other factors – including the shape and configuration of the ocean basin they flow through – influence them."
- "The two basic types of currents – surface and deep-water currents."
- "Surface currents and deep-water currents help define the character and flow of ocean waters across the planet."
- "An ocean current is a continuous, directed movement of seawater generated by a number of forces acting upon the water, including wind, the Coriolis effect, breaking waves, cabbeling, and temperature and salinity differences."
- "An ocean current is a continuous, directed movement of seawater generated by a number of forces acting upon the water, including wind, the Coriolis effect, breaking waves, cabbeling, and temperature and salinity differences."
- "Depth contours, shoreline configurations, and interactions with other currents influence a current's direction and strength."
- "An ocean current flows for great distances and together they create the global conveyor belt, which plays a dominant role in determining the climate of many of Earth's regions."
- "The Gulf Stream, which, together with its extension the North America Drift, makes northwest Europe much more temperate for its high latitude than other areas at the same latitude."
- "Lima, Peru, whose cooler subtropical climate contrasts with that of its surrounding tropical latitudes because of the Humboldt Current."
- "Surface currents and deep-water currents help define the character and flow of ocean waters across the planet."
- "They are primarily driven by winds and by seawater density."