Ocean or sea currents - horizontal movement of water masses. As a rule, their movement occurs in a strictly defined direction and can have a large extent. The current map, which is located below, displays them in full.
Water flows are significant: in width they can reach tens, or even hundreds of kilometers, and have great depth (hundreds of meters). The speed of ocean and sea currents can be different - on average, it is 1-3 thousand m / h. But there are so-called high-speed ones. Their speed can reach 9,000 m / h.
Where do the currents come from?
The causes of water currents may be a sharp change in water temperature due to heating, or, conversely, cooling. They are also affected by different densities, for example, in a place where several streams collide (marine and oceanic), precipitation, and evaporation. But mostly cold and warm currents arise due to the action of winds. Therefore, the direction of the largest oceanic water flows depends mainly on the air currents of the planet.
Wind currents
An example of constantly blowing winds is the trade winds. They begin their life from 30 latitudes. The currents created by these air masses are called trade winds. Allocate the Southern Passat and Northern Passat currents. In the temperate zone, similar water currents form under the influence of westerly winds. They form one of the largest currents on the planet. In the northern and southern hemispheres there are two cycles of the water flow: cyclonic and anticyclonal. Their formation is affected by the inertial force of the Earth.
Varieties of currents
Mixed, neutral, cold and warm currents are varieties of circulating masses on the planet. When the temperature of the water in the stream is lower than the temperature of the surrounding water, it is a cold stream. If, on the contrary, it is a warm variety of it. Neutral currents do not differ from the temperature of the surrounding waters. And mixed ones can vary throughout their entirety. It is worth noting that there is no constant temperature indicator of currents. This figure is very relative. It is determined by comparing the surrounding water masses.
In tropical latitudes, warm currents circulate along the eastern margins of the continents. Cold - along the western. In temperate latitudes, warm currents pass along the western shores, and cold currents pass along the eastern shores. You can determine the variety by another factor. So, there is an easier rule: cold currents go to the equator, and warm currents go from it.
Value
It is worth talking about in more detail. Cold and warm currents play an important role on planet Earth. The significance of the water circulating masses is that due to their movement there is a redistribution of solar heat on the planet. Warm currents increase the temperature of nearby territories, and cold currents lower it. Formed on water, water flows have a serious effect on the mainland. In areas where warm currents constantly pass, the climate is humid, where cold - on the contrary, is dry. Ocean flows also contribute to the migration of the ichthyofauna of the oceans. Under their influence, plankton moves, and fish migrate behind it.
Examples of warm and cold currents can be given. Let's start with the first variety. The largest water flows are: Gulf Stream, Norwegian, North Atlantic, North and South Passatnoye, Brazilian, Kuroshio, Madagascar and others. The coldest currents of the oceans: Somali, Labrador, California.
Large currents
The largest warm current of the planet is the Gulf Stream. This is a meridional circulating stream that transfers 75 million tons of water every second. The width of the Gulf Stream is from 70 to 90 km. Thanks to him, Europe gets a comfortable mild climate. From this it follows that the cold and warm current in many respects affects the life of all living organisms on the planet.
Of the zonal, cold watercourses, the course of the West winds is of the greatest importance . In the southern hemisphere, off the coast of Antarctica, there are no island or mainland clusters. A large portion of the planet is completely filled with water. The Indian, Pacific and Atlantic oceans converge here in one stream , connecting into a separate huge body of water. Some scholars acknowledge its existence and call it Southern. It is here that the largest flow of water forms - the flow of the West winds. Every second it carries a stream of water, which is three times the size of the Gulf Stream.
Canary Current: Warm or Cold?
Currents can change their temperature. For example, the flow begins with cold masses. Then it warms up and becomes warm. One of the options for such a circulating water mass is the Canary Current. It originates in the north-east of the Atlantic Ocean. Sent by a cold stream along the Iberian Peninsula of Europe. Passing along the west coast of Africa, it becomes warm. This trend has long been used by sailors to travel.