ocean currents

Welcome; learn the Ocean Currents

Pacific Ocean,

Atlantic Ocean

&

Indian Ocean

OCEAN CURRENTS

WORLD

Currents in the pacific ocean

There are two Equatorial currents in the Pacific Ocean.One in the north of the equator and the other south of the equator

Pacific ocean currents

● The north equatorial current starts from the west coast of central America and flows towards the east coast of Asia. After reaching the Philippine islands,it turns north ward and moves along the east coast of Philippines,Taiwan and Japan. This is the Kuroshio current.


●As it reaches the south east coast of Japan,the currents come under the influence of the

Westerlies and flows across the north pacific ocean from west to east as the north pacific

current. It reaches the cost of the British Columbia (North America) and divides into two

currents. One branch turns north and flows along the coasts of Canada and Alaska. The

current is called British Columbian current. It is warm compared with the temperature of the sea

in this region.


The second branch of the North Pacific current flows southwards along the west coast of north America, as the California

current, and eventually , and merges with equatorial current. As the California current is comparatively cooler than the

sea through which it flows, it is considered to be a cold current.


A cold current called Oyashio flows along the shores of Kamchatka

peninsula. The cold Okhotsk current flows along Sakhalin coast and

merges with the Oyashio in the sea near Hokkaido.


The south equatorial current starts south of the equator off the north west coast of south America. Flowing from east to west, it approaches the north east tip of Australia and the Guinea

island. Here, it bifurcates and the main branch turns southwards. It flows along east coast of Australia as the warm east

Australian current.

Pacific ocean currentsNear Tasmania it meets the south Pacific current

which flows from west to east across the south pacific ocean. This current turns north at the

southern tip of south America, and flows along the west coast of south America and the cold Peruvian

(Humboldt) current and finally merges with the south equatorial current.

Between the two equatorial currents, a counter equatorial current flows from west to east. This

counter current is caused by accumulation of water in the western part of the ocean brought by the two

equatorial currents.

CURRENTS IN THE ATLANTIC

There are two equatorial currents in the Atlantic ocean. The north equatorial

current, which starts off the west coast of equatorial Africa, is driven to towards the north-east cost of south America by the trade winds. South of the equator, the south equatorial current begins to flow

from the west African coast towards south America.

CURRENTS IN THE ATLANTICIt bifurcates on approaching the north east corner of Brazil (Cape Sao Roque). One

branch flows along the north eastern cost of south America and joins the north equatorial current, which splits into two as it enters the

Caribbean sea. The trade winds push one branch into the Gulf of Mexico and raise the

water level in the gulf. In order to equalize the water level of the gulf of Mexico and the

Atlantic ocean a current flows out through the Strait of Florida.


The second branch of the north equatorial current passes along the eastern side of the West

Indies and joins the current that comes out of the Gulf of Mexico. The combined current turns north and moves along the south-east coast of USA. From Cape of Florida up to Hatteras.

This current is called Florida Current.


Beyond cape Hatteras, upto the Grand Banks of Newfoundland, this current is

known as the famous Gulf Stream. Driven by the westerlies, the gulf stream turns to the right and flows eastwards across the north Atlantic ocean, as the north Atlantic drift.


After entering the eastern part of north Atlantic, it bifurcates, and the main branch continues its onward movements as far as the British Isles, retaining the name of the North Atlantic drift. Ahead of British Isles, the current assumes the name Norwegian current and enters the Arctic ocean after

flowing past Norway


The second branch of the North Atlantic Drift flows south between Spain and

Azores Archipelago(Group of islands) and ends up in the region where the north equatorial current begins. It is known as the cold Canaries current.


From the Arctic ocean a cold current flows south along the west coast of green land.

This current is known as the Labrador Current, meets the warm Gulf Stream in the sea near the islands of Newfoundland. The

mixing of waters of the Gulf Stream with the cold Arctic waters of the Labrador current often leaves to the formation of fogs which

envelope the sea for hours together.


These fogs present navigational hazards to shipping owing to the presence of icebergs

which are carried down by the Labrador current. But the meeting of warm and cold

currents provides ideal conditions to facilitate the growth of many verities of

fish. The Grant Banks of Newfoundland is one of the world's most important fishing

banks.


We noted earlier, that the south equatorial current bifurcates near the north-east Brazilian

coast.One of the two branches joins the north

equatorial current and the other one moves south along the coast of Brazil. This current has been given the name of that country. The warm Brazil current goes south and ultimately joins

the south Atlantic current which flows from west to east.


When the south Atlantic current reaches the southern tip of Africa, it sends an off-shoot northwards along the west coast of southern Africa. It is the cold Benguela

current and it ends up in the south equatorial current.

A counter equatorial current flows along the equatorial region of the Atlantic between the two equatorial current

CURRENTS IN THE INDIAN OCEAN

In the Indian Ocean, especially in the northern part ,winds play a dominant

role in controlling the Ocean currents. A complete seasonal reversal of the current direction is effected by the

monsoon winds in the northern part of the Ocean


In winter the North and South equatorial currents flow in the Indian Ocean from east to west. A counter equatorial current flows between the two equatorial currents from

west to east. The North East Monsoon winds drive the north equatorial current

along the Bay of Bengal cost of India and also along the coasts of lands lying around

the Arabian sea.


In summer, a strong monsoon current sets in from west under the influence of south west monsoon

winds. This current completely wipes out both the north equatorial and the counter equatorial currents.


In the southern Indian Ocean the general pattern of the currents is like of the Pacific and Atlantic ocean. The south equatorial current, fed by the branch of the south

equatorial current of the Pacific Ocean and driven by the trade winds flowing from east to west turn southwards after reaching the east cost of Africa. It then flows south along

the Mozambiquecoast and through the Mozambique channel,

bearing the name Mozambique warm current.


It proceeds further southwards and gets strengthened by the branch of the south equatorial current flowing past the east cost of Island of Madagascar. Along the

south eastern cost of Africa the combined current is called the

Aguilhaus current. It pushes on as a warm current and merges with the west

wind drift.


The west wind drift flowing in the belt of Brave west winds also called “Roaring Forties” across the southern ocean from west to east, reaches the south western

corner of Australia. At this point it sends one of its branches northwards along the

west cost of Australia as a cold current. This current called the west Australian current

flows northward and joins the south equatorial current.

Prepared by

JEYANTHY.RH.S.A.(SS)GMMGHSSPALAKKAD

ocean currents

Education

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