Currents and Climate What is a ocean current

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Currents and Climate

Currents and Climate

What is a ocean current? ● Ocean currents are masses of water that flow

What is a ocean current? ● Ocean currents are masses of water that flow from one place to another. ● Currents can be on the surface of the ocean or in deep water.

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Ocean currents move water! And more! http: //img. dailymail. co. uk/i/pix/2007/06_03/duck. GPX 2706_600 x 359. jpg

What are surface currents? ● Surface currents are movements of water that flow horizontally

What are surface currents? ● Surface currents are movements of water that flow horizontally in the upper part of the ocean’s surface. ● The energy that drives surface ocean currents comes from wind

What are Gyres? ● Gyres are large whirls of water within an ocean basin.

What are Gyres? ● Gyres are large whirls of water within an ocean basin. ● North Pacific ● South Pacific ● North Atlantic ● South Atlantic ● India Ocean

Why do currents move in a circular pattern? ● Because of the Earth’s rotation,

Why do currents move in a circular pattern? ● Because of the Earth’s rotation, currents are deflected to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and to the left in the Southern Hemisphere. ● This is called the Coriolis Effect

Ocean Currents and Climate ● Oceans maintain the balance of heat energy by ocean

Ocean Currents and Climate ● Oceans maintain the balance of heat energy by ocean currents cycling between the equator and the polar regions ● When currents from low-latitude regions move into higher latitudes, they transfer heat from warmer to cooler areas on Earth.

Ocean Currents and Climate ● Ocean currents are especially important to coastal regions ●

Ocean Currents and Climate ● Ocean currents are especially important to coastal regions ● Warm or cool the air temperatures along these coastal regions ● An example of this is the Gulf Stream which warms the climate of Great Britain

Temperatures in North America

Temperatures in North America

Deep (density) currents ● Deep (density) currents are vertical currents of ocean water that

Deep (density) currents ● Deep (density) currents are vertical currents of ocean water that result from density differences among water masses. ● Factors that affect the density of seawater: ● Water temperature ● Salinity ● Decreasing temperature and increasing salinity cause water to become more dense

Deep currents ● Near Antarctica, surface conditions create the highest density water in the

Deep currents ● Near Antarctica, surface conditions create the highest density water in the world. ● Icicles of Death Link

Deep currents ● Evaporation results in increased salinity— lowering water density. ● A simplified

Deep currents ● Evaporation results in increased salinity— lowering water density. ● A simplified model of ocean circulation is called the conveyor belt.

What is upwelling? ● Upwelling is the rising of cold water from deeper layers

What is upwelling? ● Upwelling is the rising of cold water from deeper layers to replace warmer surface water ● Winds blow the warm surface water away and it is replaced by cold waters (with lots of nutrients!)

● Deep water is very rich in nutrients and is brought to the surface

● Deep water is very rich in nutrients and is brought to the surface

What’s the impact of upwelling? ● Upwelling revitalizes the ocean and keeps the ocean

What’s the impact of upwelling? ● Upwelling revitalizes the ocean and keeps the ocean healthy.

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