Skip to main content

Movement of Ocean Waters

The ocean water is dynamic in nature. It is influenced by physical properties such as temperature, salinity, density etc. and also affected by external factors or forces from Sun, Moon and winds. The major movements of ocean waters are Ocean Currents, Deep Water Currents & Tides.

  • Ocean Currents: Flow of oceanic water in one direction. Ocean currents are mainly surface currents or deep-water currents.
Surface Currents: It is primarily wind driven and move horizontally. Solar radiation, gravity and Earth's rotations also influence them. 

Based on temperature, ocean currents can be classified into two.

  1. Warm currents and
  2.  Cold currents
Warm Currents: They carry warm waters from the tropics to the cold polar regions. They are usually seen at the western boundary of oceans. These are fast moving, narrow and deep currents, thus known as 'Western Boundary Currents'.
E.g. Gulf Stream in the Atlantic Ocean, Agulhas Current in the Indian Ocean and Kuroshio Current in the Pacific Ocean.

Cold Currents: They carry cold water from the poles to the tropics. Labrador Current in the Atlantic Ocean, Peru Current in the Pacific Ocean and the West Australian Current in the Indian Ocean are some of them.

  • Blanket of Europe: Gulf Stream in the North Atlantic Ocean is the world's fastest current (more than 2m/s). It carries warm water towards north and keeps Europe warm during winter.

  • Black Current: Kuroshio Current in North Pacific is referred as 'Black Current' due to its dark water and low biological productivity.

  • The mightiest current: The mightiest current of the oceans is the Antarctic Circumpolar Current, also known as ACC. It is the only current that flows completely around the globe. It encircles the Antarctic Continent and flows eastward through the southern part of the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans. This current is also known as 'West Wind Drift'.
Note: Contents published here has been taken from various sources for reference purpose. Readers are requested to do their own study before using them in any medium.

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Continents and Some of their Interesting Facts

Our Earth is divided into seven continents. Millions of years ago, there was a single continent called Pangea, which was covered by an Ocean called Panthalassa. Eventually, the supercontinent broke apart to form the different continents that we have today. Here are some interesting facts about them. Africa Africa is the 2nd largest continent in the world. Its total land area is 3,03,65,000 sq.km. Africa is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, Red Sea and Indian Ocean. It is the only continent through which the Equator, Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn passes!   Nile River  Africa is also known as the " Cradle of Humankind ". There are 54 countries in Africa. The Nile, the longest river in the World and the Sahara, the largest hot desert in the world is in Africa. Africa produces about 70 percent of the world's cocoa beans. Asia Asia is the largest continent in the world. It is surrounded by the Arctic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Indian Ocean, a...
Post a Comment
Read more

GREEN CITIES OF THE WORLD

Green Cities focus on sustainability, implement eco-friendly practices and promote a healthy environment. They prioritize public transportation, green spaces and energy-efficient buildings, reducing pollution and contributing to a more sustainable urban living. Here listing 12 well known Green Cities in the world. AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS Amsterdam is known for their extensive canal system and emphasis on cycling and public transport. BERLIN, GERMANY Berlin is a very beautiful and a historic city . Authorities are giving lot of importance to the green initiatives and public transport system. The city is decorated with urban gardens. COPENHAGEN, DENMARK Copenhagen having exceptional cycling infrastructure. The city is very much committed to renewable energy and sustainable development. CURITIBA, BRAZIL Curitiba in Brazil is known for its extensive public transport system and eco-conscious urban planning. Botanical Garden-Curitiba HELSINKI, FINLAND Helsinki is a very nice city with innovat...
Post a Comment
Read more

Diabetes and Some Common Symptoms

Diabetes is a lifestyle illness which causes high blood sugar and can affect people at all ages. It happens when your body is unable to produce Insulin or use the produced Insulin.  Insulin is a hormone responsible for regulating the blood sugar levels in human body. Diabetes can be classified into two categories:   Type 1 Diabetes  Type 2 Diabetes Type 1 Diabetes: In this, body stops producing insulin leading to a rise in blood sugar level. Usually affects children and teenagers and is not very common but is dangerous. Treatment generally involves taking insulin injections. Type 2 Diabetes: This form of diabetes is the most common form of diabetes. In this, the body is unable to use the insulin which is being produced by the body leading to rise in blood sugar levels. Treatment generally involves taking regular medication, following a strict diet and regular exercise. Common Symptoms of Type 2 Diabetes Early detection of diabetes is important, as it conditions only wor...
Post a Comment
Read more