Currents Flashcards
Currents
Stream like movement of water flowing through the world’s ocean
2 Main Types of Currents
- Surface Currents
- Deep Ocean Currents
Surface Currents
-Horizontal currents that occurs at or near the ocean’s surface
-Used by merchants and early explorers to trade materials
Why are Surface Currents created?
-Global Wind Patterns
-The Rotation of the Earth
-Shape of the oceans Basins
When are Global Wind Belts(GWB) formed
-Created when more solar energy strikes the equator than the polar regions
Ekman’s Spiral
-An effect of the Coriolis effect
-When surface water molecules move by the force of the wind, they, in turn, drag deeper layers of water molecules below them
Trade Winds & Westerlies
-Trade Winds go east to west
-Westerlies go west to east in the middle always blow in the same direction