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Major causes of ocean currents

Major causes of ocean currents. Prevailing winds: Initial push Westerlies= west to east Trade winds= East to equator Caused by… Uneven heating Water near equator warms due to direct sunlight Transfers heat to poles by CONVECTION . Major causes of ocean currents. Coriolis Effect:

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Major causes of ocean currents

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  1. Major causes of ocean currents • Prevailing winds: Initial push • Westerlies= west to east • Trade winds= East to equator Caused by… • Uneven heating • Water near equator warms due to direct sunlight • Transfers heat to poles by CONVECTION

  2. Major causes of ocean currents • Coriolis Effect: • deflection of moving objects • North= Right (clockwise) • South= Left (counter clockwise) • Basin Shape: Coastline • AKA the toilet bowl

  3. Boundary Current Cold/Cool Benguela Peru Canary Greenland & Labrador W. Australia Warm • Gulf Stream • Brazil • Kuroshio • Agulhas • E. Australia

  4. Boundary Current • Equatorial • North • South • Circumpolar • Antarctic

  5. Gyre Gyre: set of four or more currents ( Draw in on map)

  6. Major surface currents

  7. Vertical mixing of water Thermohaline circulation deep ocean currents caused by: differences in density. Salinity Increase salt=more dense Temperature Decrease temperature= more dense Changes in water temperature • Surface is warmer

  8. Salinity Decreases (salt concentration goes down) Fresh water goes in Rain Surface runoff Ice Melts INCREASES (salt concentration goes up) • Evaporation • Ice formation

  9. On your map identify areas of high and low salinity

  10. Ocean-Atmosphere Patterns • Normal conditions: • Dominated by the trade winds • Cooler water of South American coast • Australia warmer water

  11. Ocean-Atmosphere Patterns • El Nino Conditions: • Trade winds are weak or reversed • Ocean current then is reversed • Less hurricanes • Floods in South America • Bad for fishing • Droughts in Australia and Indonesia • US warmer winters (Michigan)

  12. Ocean-Atmosphere Patterns • la Nina conditions: • VERY strong trade winds • MUCH Cooler water of South American coast • Australia MUCH warmer water • US colder than normal winters with much more snow!

  13. Ocean pollution

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