2/5/2014
Currents
• Objectives
–2 types of currents
–What drives each type?
–Draw major currents
–How both types of currents affect
climate and critters?
Deep Ocean Currents
• Driven by density
• Cold, dense water sinks
• Travels along bottom until it runs into
something then it rises
• Water traveling along the surface at
the equator “floats”
• As it nears the pole, it cools and sinks
1
2/5/2014
Commercial Time
Deep Current Effects
• Where water rises, brings nutrients to
the surface
• Drives long term global weather
patterns
• Stabilizes climate
2
2/5/2014
If the arctic ice cap melts, how
does that effect the GOCB near
Greenland?
Commercial Time
3
2/5/2014
Surface Currents
• Driven by winds and Coriolis effect
• Move clockwise in northern
hemisphere and counterclockwise in
southern hemisphere
• Warm currents along east coasts and
cold currents along west coasts
4
2/5/2014
Surface Currents
Surface Current Effects
• Effects weather (day to day systems)
• Effects strength and path of
hurricanes
• Can change when wind weakens and
cause El Nino/La Nina
5
2/5/2014
Objectives
–2 types of currents
–What drives each type?
–Draw major currents
–How both types of currents affect
climate and critters?
6