Major ocean currents
Major ocean currents.
An ocean current or marine current is a movement of the waters in the oceans and, to a lesser degree, of the more extensive seas. These currents have many causes, mainly the movement of terrestrial rotation (which acts differently and even opposite at the bottom of the ocean and on the surface), as well as the movement of translation of the Earth, the configuration of the coasts and the relative location of the continents. On the other hand, the constant or planetary winds constitute practically a nonexistent cause, since the coincidences between the currents and the planetary winds are due to the fact that they share a common cause, that is, the astronomical movements of the Earth.
Thus, it is commonly understood that the concept of marine currents refers to water currents on the surface of oceans and seas (as can be seen in the current map) while underwater currents would be nothing more than compensatory movements of the ocean currents. surface currents. This means that if on the surface the surface waters go from east to west in the intertropical zone (due to inertia due to the movement of terrestrial rotation, which is from west to east), at the bottom of the ocean, the waters will move following that movement of rotation from west to east. However, it must be borne in mind that the waters in the submarine bottom move with the same speed and direction as the bottom, that is to say, with the same speed and direction that the terrestrial surface has below the oceanic waters. At the ocean floor, the enormous pressure of the water is what causes a uniform temperature of these waters at a value that approaches 4 ºC, which is when the water reaches its maximum density. As is obvious, there will be no relative displacement between the bottom of the ocean and the waters that cover it because in that bottom, both the terrestrial and oceanic part move at the same speed. The exception is presented in the cold currents of the intertropical zone that are due to the upwelling or rise of cold waters from the underwater bottom.
An ocean current or marine current is a movement of the waters in the oceans and, to a lesser degree, of the more extensive seas. These currents have many causes, mainly the movement of terrestrial rotation (which acts differently and even opposite at the bottom of the ocean and on the surface), as well as the movement of translation of the Earth, the configuration of the coasts and the relative location of the continents. On the other hand, the constant or planetary winds constitute practically a nonexistent cause, since the coincidences between the currents and the planetary winds are due to the fact that they share a common cause, that is, the astronomical movements of the Earth.
Thus, it is commonly understood that the concept of marine currents refers to water currents on the surface of oceans and seas (as can be seen in the current map) while underwater currents would be nothing more than compensatory movements of the ocean currents. surface currents. This means that if on the surface the surface waters go from east to west in the intertropical zone (due to inertia due to the movement of terrestrial rotation, which is from west to east), at the bottom of the ocean, the waters will move following that movement of rotation from west to east. However, it must be borne in mind that the waters in the submarine bottom move with the same speed and direction as the bottom, that is to say, with the same speed and direction that the terrestrial surface has below the oceanic waters. At the ocean floor, the enormous pressure of the water is what causes a uniform temperature of these waters at a value that approaches 4 ºC, which is when the water reaches its maximum density. As is obvious, there will be no relative displacement between the bottom of the ocean and the waters that cover it because in that bottom, both the terrestrial and oceanic part move at the same speed. The exception is presented in the cold currents of the intertropical zone that are due to the upwelling or rise of cold waters from the underwater bottom.
- Labrador Current
- East Greenland
- North Atlantic Current
- Gulf Stream
- North Equatorial Current
- South Equatorial Current
- Brazil Current
- Benguela Current
- Antarctic Circumpolar Current
- Humboldt or Peru Current
- East Australian Current
- North Equatorial Current
- Equatorial Countercurrent
- South Equatorial Current
- Kuro-Shivo or Japan current
- Oyashio Subarctic Current
- West Australian Current
- Current of the Needles (Indian)
- California Current
- Alaska Current
Thermohaline circulation is also known as oceanic "treadmill" or transmission belt. The thermohaline ocean current refers to marine currents driven by the difference in densities and temperatures. This process affects all levels of the ocean, from the surface to the bottom, and is in fact one of the great pulleys of transmission and distribution of solar energy received throughout the planet.