Slide 1

OCEAN CURRENTS AND WEATHER

Slide 2

Oceans currents are created by: surface wind, corliolis effect, land shape, and salt content and temperature of the water. Two kinds of ocean currents surface and deep. Surface currents - tend to resemble the patterns of the prevailing surface winds. Oceans currents also turn right in the Northern Hemisphere.

Slide 3

Slide 4

Slide 5

Warm ocean currents transport energy (heat) away from the equator to towards the poles. Cold currents carry water from poles towards the equator. As warm water cools it sinks. Salt water is more dense than fresh water and sinks. Convection currents also move warm and cold water.

Slide 6

Air above cold currents is also cool. Above warm currents, air is warm. Oceans currents contribute to the climate difference between the coast and regions inland. Warm air holds more moisture (water vapour) - high humidity.

Slide 7

When air warms, it rises and carries water vapour with it. As it rises it cools and becomes more dense condensing the water vapour into clouds and precipitation. Near warm currents - heavy precipitation, warmer. Near cold currents little precipitation, cooler.

Slide 8

Slide 9

Slide 10

Slide 11

Deep currents - water below a depth of 100m is not directly affected by winds. Deep currents are slow moving. Deep currents combine with surface currents to create a conveyor belt that constantly mixes heat and nutrients throughout the whole ocean.

Slide 12