Enter Title

Ocean Surface Currents

100

Surface currents are controlled by four factors:

global winds, the Coriolis effect, 

continental deflections, and the water 

temperature.

200

Streamlike movements of water that occur at or near the surface of the ocean are called

Surface Currents. 

300

The Gulf Stream is one of the 

longest 

surface currents

400

Surface currents can reach depths of

several hundred meters and lengths of several thousand kilometers.

500

Because of the Coriolis Effect

currents in the Northern                                 Hemisphere turn clockwise while currents in the Southern Hemisphere turn counterclockwise.

nemo

100

The East Australian Current is

not the fast-flowing warp-tube as it’s portrayed in 

the movie – it’s an even better ride than that.

200

The East Australian Current does

flow along the East coast of Australia

300

Speeds in the core of the EAC are 

among the strongest in the South Pacific, up 

to 

4.5 mph an hour.

400

But actually the real East Australian Current is much

bigger and much wilder than in the movie

500

The East Australian Current transports a                                                                                               staggering

40 million cubic meters of water southward each second.

currents patterns

100

When currents meet landforms they

change direction

200

Warm water currents begin near the

 equator

300

Surface currents greatly affect the

climate in many parts of the world

400

Some surface currents warm and

some cool coastal areas year-round

500

Cold-water currents create

cooler climates in coastal areas that would be much warmer

deep currents

100

Deep currents are

stream-like movements of ocean water far below the ocean surface

200

Deep currents are not controlled by

wind or the Coriolis effect.

300

Deep currents are mainly controlled by

increases in water density

400

Temperature and salinity

affect the density of ocean water.

500

Ocean water gets denser when it becomes

saltier or gets colder.

waves

100

Waves are made of two main components

crests and troughs

200

A crest is the highest point and the

rough is the lowest point.

300

A wavelength is the distance between two adjust

 crests or troughs

400

Wave height is the vertical distance between

a waves crest and its trough.

500

Ocean waves form because of

friction between the wind and the surface of the water.