Navigation and shipping can get affected by ocean currents, especially in areas with high currents or tidal flows. The horizontal pressure gradient in the ocean is a combination of these two mass fields. Gravity tends to pull items towards the surface of the earth. Salinity also affects density, and it too has a hand in creating surface ocean currents. Ocean Currents it causes water to expand. Ships moving against a current lose speed. history notes Some of the most well-known ocean animals include dolphins, sharks, and octopuses which is still not fully understood. Ocean currents are the directional movement of seawater that is continuous and predictable. Gravity. the amount of salt in water. Ocean currents play a main role in the global climate system by transporting heat and energy from the tropics to higher latitudes. Tides create a current in the oceans, which are strongest near the shore, and in bays and estuaries along the coast. ocean water from near the equator that travels towards the poles. causes ocean GEOGRAPHY POINT YOUR GATEWAY TO GLOBAL GEOGRAPHY, EXPLORE THE WORLD OF GEOGRAPHY, HISTORY, AND MAPS AN EDUCATIONAL SITE ABOUT GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY. The momentum transfer is a product of turbulence that moves kinetic energy to smaller scales until at the tens-of-microns scale (1 micron = 1/1,000 mm) it is dissipated as heat. Tidal Currents. . When water evaporates from the ocean, it leaves behind salt, which increases the salinity of the water. As the water flows eastward, a process almost the same as the one weve seen repeats itself. history of africa Such winds bring down the temperature of the land like the kuroshio (warm) current, which flows along the east coast of Japan. It is a relatively narrow and shallow current, and it is found in all three major oceans i.e the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian oceans. WebThe movement of different temperatures of water in oceans creates currents called convection currents. It is a massive movement of ocean water that is caused and influenced by various forces. 5 CAUSES OF OCEAN CURRENTS The current in the ocean is originated due to the combined effect of all these factors acting internally as well as externally. kcse history Solar heating. convection. Ocean current kcse past papers WebWhat are the 5 causes of oceanic current? Heat from the tropics can be transferred to the cold polar regions, by large-scale water movement within the oceans. It is a component of the larger North Pacific subtropical gyre, a ring-shaped system of ocean currents propelled by wind and the Coriolis force. Thus the ocean currents would form a circular or spiral currents. This sinking and flowing back of water is known as a western boundary current, and it helps to drive the global ocean conveyor belt. The temperature and marine life in the places where the Labrador Current flows can be greatly affected by its cold water. Variation in water salinityd. For example, Peru current is a cold-water current of the southeast Pacific Ocean, and it is the leading cause of the dryness of the Atacama desert (the driest desert in the world). NCERT Notes on Factors Affecting Wind mention Coriolis Force that one can read in the linked article. Warm currents are one such classification. OCEAN CURRENTS Thermohaline circulation is a deep current driven by water density differences caused by temperature and salinity variations. III. Causes Places where cold and warm currents meet are ideal for the growth of Plankton. By transferring heat from the tropics to higher latitudes and influencing weather patterns, the South Equatorial Current contributes significantly to the functioning of the global climate system. Causes of Ocean Currents. Ocean . The earths climate is influenced and changed through natural causes like volcanic eruptions, ocean currents, the Earths orbital changes, solar variations and internal variability. WebOcean currents influence climate because the currents are major redistributors of heat and energy throughout the globe. all form four past paper For Earth, horizontal deflections due to the rotational induced Coriolis force act on particles moving in any horizontal direction. We achieve this by having the best team create content - this ranges from marine experts, trained scuba divers, marine-related enthusiasts, and more. The Antarctic Circumpolar Current is also known as the West Wind Drift or the Southern Ocean Current. Why water moves in a circular pattern The sun heats water at the equator. necta csee chemistry past papers They tend to be persistent. In the Northern Hemisphere, warm air around the equator rises and flows north toward the pole. What factors cause deep currents? preservearticles.com All rights reserved. They can complete a cycle in hundreds or even thousands of years and are in charge of the ocean's vertical water circulation, which helps in transferring heat and nutrients from the surface to the deep ocean. It covers a significant part of the Geography Physical Geography (General Studies-1) syllabus and current events of national importance in UPSC prelims. Rotation of the Earth:The earth rotates on its axis from west to east. Frictional forcesb. It is generally noted that waters of high salinity tend to flow to areas of low salinity e.g. To replace the cold water that is sinking, warm water currents move away from the equator and towards the poles. While moving at speeds between 20 and 80 cm/s, the current is significant for a number of reasons. Lengthd. Click the image for a larger view. These currents play a crucial role in shaping the Earths climate and weather patterns and are important for the survival of many plants and animals. This makes the water light. The process that creates deep currents is called thermohaline circulationthermo referring to temperature and haline to saltiness. Currents moving along the ocean floor and the sides of the ocean also are subject to the influence of boundary-layer friction. Tides create a current in the oceans, which are strongest near the shore, and in bays and estuaries along the coast. Read on if you want to know the names of these ocean currents, how they are formed, their unique benefits, and more. Causes of Ocean Currents. Surface currents are the most visible current driven by wind and the Earths rotation. Major Ocean Currents Thermal forcesd. Such currents are generally referred to as convection currents. The saltier the water, the denser it becomes, and this causes it to sink and drive the movement of deep ocean currents. High pressure causes lowering of the sea level artd low pressure causes the sea level to rise. It transports heat from the tropics to Western Europe, which helps to keep the region warm in winter. Variation in water salinity:The amount of salts contained in seawater does vary from one part of the ocean to another. Content Filtration 6. WebOcean currents can be caused by wind, density differences in water masses caused by temperature and salinity variations, gravity, and events such as earthquakes or storms. This leads to the formation of ocean currents. the North equatorial current tends to be deflected northwards because of the shape of the horn of Africa. This is referred to as the barotropic field of mass. Temporal and inertial terms are generally of secondary importance to the general flow, though they become important for transient features such as meanders and eddies. Web2. It is a massive movement of ocean water caused and influenced by a number of forces. Ocean currents are continuous movements of ocean water that wind, breaking waves, temperature and salinity differences, and other forces acting upon the water generated. Copyright 10. main cause of ocean currents Major Feature:Formed by the movement of water in the Southern Ocean, Impact on the Environment? Complete answer: The ocean currents are divided into two types: the cold currents and warm currents, in accordance WebOcean currents can also cause extreme weather changes, like hurricanes, by bringing warm moist air to the region. Causes of Ocean Currents: Planetary winds, Rotation of earth and Other, What are Ocean Currents: Two Types - Warm Currents and Cold Currents. It is formed by the water movement in the western Indian Ocean, which is warmed by the sun and then flows southward along the east coast of Africa. Currents normally move in a specific direction and aid significantly in the circulation of the Earths moisture, the resultant weather, and water pollution. These include: Wind: One of the most common causes of ocean currents is wind. Get a deeper understanding of the oceans inhabitants with our comparison articles. causes of ocean currents For example, the Gulf Stream carries warm water from the tropics to higher latitudes. The oceans and their marginal seas cover nearly 71 percent of Earths surface, with an average depth of 3,688 metres (12,100 feet). Coriolis effect. Ocean currents can be caused by wind, density differences in water masses caused by temperature and salinity variations, gravity, and events such as earthquakes or storms. What makes ocean currents flow? Gravity plays the main role in causing ocean currents too. 4. Near the shore, tidal currents are the strongest. (UPSC Mains 2019), Explain the factors responsible for the origin of ocean currents. The cold current carries a lot of dissolved CO2, which is important for controlling the temperature on Earth. current Horizontal differences in density (due to variations of temperature and salinity) measured along a specific depth cause the hydrostatic pressure to vary along a horizontal plane or geopotential surface, a surface perpendicular to the direction of the gravity acceleration. Currents are cohesive streams of seawater that circulate through the ocean. Ocean Currents Ocean Currents causes ocean currents Surface currents can move nutrients and creatures throughout the ocean. Warm and less dense water rises and flows back towards the poles, whereas cold, dense water sinks in high-latitude areas and flows towards the equator resulting in a system that resembles a conveyor belt that helps in the global transportation of heat and nutrients. It causes a slight slope in 2. A faster-moving fluid layer tends to drag along a slower-moving layer, and a slower-moving layer will tend to reduce the speed of a faster-moving layer. csee review questions Solar heating. Ocean currents may be either warm or cold i.e. Let's study each type in detail. Major Feature:Formed by the movement of water in the Gulf of Mexico, Impact on the Environment? The Ocean Currents Main Ocean currents can affect sea level and coastal erosion too by transporting sediment and water along coastlines. An ocean gyre is a large system of circular ocean currents formed by global wind patterns and forces created by Earths rotation.. Deep ocean currents travel slowly. Ocean Currents in Atlantic Ocean. PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY It is divided into five main regions: the Arctic, Antarctic, Indian, Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Near the shore, surface currents are driven by both the wind and tides, which draw water back and forth as the water level falls and rises. . The high salinity water tends to subside and move below the water of low salinity. This current helps to distribute heat and nutrients throughout the ocean. Ocean gyre This is the worlds most extensive ocean current and is an essential part of the Southern Ocean Current, which carries cold water from the poles to the tropics. Ocean
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