OCEAN CURRENTS

1. Welcome; learn the Ocean
Currents
Pacific Ocean,
Atlantic Ocean
&
Indian Ocean

11. OCEAN CURRENTS
WORLD

20. Currents in the pacific ocean
There are two Equatorial currents in the
Pacific Ocean. One in the north of the
equator and the other south of the equator

21. Pacific ocean currents
● The north equatorial current starts from
the west coast of central America and
flows towards the east coast of Asia.
After reaching the Philippine islands,it
turns north ward and moves along the
east coast of Philippines,Taiwan and
Japan. This is the Kuroshio current.

22. Pacific ocean currents
●As it reaches the south east coast of Japan,the
currents come under the influence of the
Westerlies and flows across the north pacific
ocean from west to east as the north pacific
current. It reaches the cost of the British
Columbia (North America) and divides into two
currents. One branch turns north and flows
along the coasts of Canada and Alaska. The
current is called British Columbian current. It is
warm compared with the temperature of the sea
in this region.

23. Pacific ocean currents
The second branch of the North Pacific
current flows southwards along the west
coast of north America, as the California
current, and eventually , and merges
with equatorial current. As the California
current is comparatively cooler than the
sea through which it flows, it is
considered to be a cold current.

24. Pacific ocean currents
A cold current called Oyashio flows
along the shores of Kamchatka
peninsula. The cold Okhotsk current
flows along Sakhalin coast and
merges with the Oyashio in the sea
near Hokkaido.

25. Pacific ocean currents
The south equatorial current starts
south of the equator off the north west
coast of south America. Flowing from
east to west, it approaches the north
east tip of Australia and the Guinea
island. Here, it bifurcates and the main
branch turns southwards. It flows along
east coast of Australia as the warm east
Australian current.

26. Pacific ocean currents
Near Tasmania it meets the south Pacific current
which flows from west to east across the south
pacific ocean. This current turns north at the
southern tip of south America, and flows along the
west coast of south America and the cold Peruvian
(Humboldt) current and finally merges with the south
equatorial current.
Between the two equatorial currents, a counter
equatorial current flows from west to east. This
counter current is caused by accumulation of water
in the western part of the ocean brought by the two
equatorial currents.

28. CURRENTS IN THE ATLANTIC
There are two equatorial currents in the
Atlantic ocean. The north equatorial
current, which starts off the west coast of
equatorial Africa, is driven to towards the
north-east cost of south America by the
trade winds. South of the equator, the
south equatorial current begins to flow
from the west African coast towards south
America.

29. CURRENTS IN THE ATLANTIC
It bifurcates on approaching the north east
corner of Brazil (Cape Sao Roque). One
branch flows along the north eastern cost of
south America and joins the north equatorial
current, which splits into two as it enters the
Caribbean sea. The trade winds push one
branch into the Gulf of Mexico and raise the
water level in the gulf. In order to equalize the
water level of the gulf of Mexico and the
Atlantic ocean a current flows out through the
Strait of Florida.

30. CURRENTS IN THE ATLANTIC
The second branch of the north equatorial
current passes along the eastern side of the West
Indies and joins the current that comes out of
the Gulf of Mexico. The combined current turns
north and moves along the south-east coast of
USA. From Cape of Florida up to Hatteras.
This current is called Florida Current.

31. CURRENTS IN THE ATLANTIC
Beyond cape Hatteras, upto the Grand
Banks of Newfoundland, this current is
known as the famous Gulf Stream.
Driven by the westerlies, the gulf
stream turns to the right and flows
eastwards across the north Atlantic
ocean, as the north Atlantic drift.

32. CURRENTS IN THE ATLANTIC
After entering the eastern part of north
Atlantic, it bifurcates, and the main branch
continues its onward movements as far as
the British Isles, retaining the name of the
North Atlantic drift. Ahead of British Isles,
the current assumes the name Norwegian
current and enters the Arctic ocean after
flowing past Norway

33. CURRENTS IN THE ATLANTIC
The second branch of the North Atlantic
Drift flows south between Spain and
Azores Archipelago(Group of islands)
and ends up in the region where the
north equatorial current begins. It is
known as the cold Canaries current.

34. CURRENTS IN THE ATLANTIC
From the Arctic ocean a cold current flows
south along the west coast of green land.
This current is known as the Labrador
Current, meets the warm Gulf Stream in the
sea near the islands of Newfoundland. The
mixing of waters of the Gulf Stream with the
cold Arctic waters of the Labrador current
often leaves to the formation of fogs which
envelope the sea for hours together.

35. CURRENTS IN THE ATLANTIC
These fogs present navigational hazards to
shipping owing to the presence of icebergs
which are carried down by the Labrador
current. But the meeting of warm and cold
currents provides ideal conditions to
facilitate the growth of many verities of
fish. The Grant Banks of Newfoundland is
one of the world's most important fishing
banks.

36. CURRENTS IN THE ATLANTIC
We noted earlier, that the south equatorial
current bifurcates near the north-east Brazilian
coast.
One of the two branches joins the north
equatorial current and the other one moves
south along the coast of Brazil. This current has
been given the name of that country. The warm
Brazil current goes south and ultimately joins
the south Atlantic current which flows from west
to east.

37. CURRENTS IN THE ATLANTIC
When the south Atlantic current reaches
the southern tip of Africa, it sends an off-shoot
northwards along the west coast of
southern Africa. It is the cold Benguela
current and it ends up in the south equatorial
current.
A counter equatorial current flows along
the equatorial region of the Atlantic
between the two equatorial current

39. CURRENTS IN THE INDIAN OCEAN
In the Indian Ocean, especially in the
northern part ,winds play a dominant
role in controlling the Ocean currents. A
complete seasonal reversal of the
current direction is effected by the
monsoon winds in the northern part of
the Ocean

40. CURRENTS IN THE INDIAN OCEAN
In winter the North and South equatorial
currents flow in the Indian Ocean from east
to west. A counter equatorial current flows
between the two equatorial currents from
west to east. The North East Monsoon
winds drive the north equatorial current
along the Bay of Bengal cost of India and
also along the coasts of lands lying around
the Arabian sea.

41. CURRENTS IN THE INDIAN OCEAN
In summer, a strong monsoon
current sets in from west under the
influence of south west monsoon
winds. This current completely
wipes out both the north equatorial
and the counter equatorial currents.

42. CURRENTS IN THE INDIAN OCEAN
In the southern Indian Ocean the general
pattern of the currents is like of the Pacific
and Atlantic ocean. The south equatorial
current, fed by the branch of the south
equatorial current of the Pacific Ocean and
driven by the trade winds flowing from east
to west turn southwards after reaching the
east cost of Africa. It then flows south along
the Mozambique
coast and through the Mozambique channel,
bearing the name Mozambique warm
current.

43. CURRENTS IN THE INDIAN OCEAN
It proceeds further southwards and gets
strengthened by the branch of the south
equatorial current flowing past the east
cost of Island of Madagascar. Along the
south eastern cost of Africa the
combined current is called the
Aguilhaus current. It pushes on as a
warm current and merges with the west
wind drift.

44. CURRENTS IN THE INDIAN OCEAN
The west wind drift flowing in the belt of
Brave west winds also called “Roaring
Forties” across the southern ocean from
west to east, reaches the south western
corner of Australia. At this point it sends
one of its branches northwards along the
west cost of Australia as a cold current. This
current called the west Australian current
flows northward and joins the south
equatorial current.

47. Prepared by
JEYANTHY.R
H.S.A.(SS)
GMMGHSS
PALAKKAD