Ocean gyre

A gyre in oceanography is any large system of rotating ocean currents, particularly those involved with large wind movements. Gyres are caused by the Coriolis effect; planetary vorticity along with horizontal and vertical friction, determine the circulation patterns from the wind curl (torque). The term gyre can be used to refer to any type of vortex in the air or the sea, even one that is man-made, but it is most commonly used in oceanography to refer to the major ocean systems.

Major gyres

The following are the five most notable gyres:

Other gyres

Tropical gyres

Tropical gyres are less unified and tend to be mostly east-west with minor north-south extent.

Subtropical gyres

Gyre (disambiguation)

An ocean gyre is any large system of rotating ocean currents in oceanography.

Gyre or gire may also refer to:

See also