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DAILY
CLASS NOTES
Geography

Lecture - 51
Ocean Currents
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Ocean Currents

Ocean Currents:
❖ Dynamic Nature of Ocean Water: The ocean's physical attributes, including temperature, salinity, density,
and external factors like the sun, moon, and winds, collectively influence the dynamics of ocean water.
❖ Understanding Ocean Currents: Ocean currents represent extensive surface water movements within the
world's oceans. These currents exhibit regular, directional patterns and are primarily driven by gravitational
forces, wind patterns (including the Coriolis Effect), and variations in water density.
❖ Distinguishing Ocean Currents from Ocean Waves: While ocean currents denote the continuous, ordered
flow of vast water masses, it's essential to differentiate them from waves, which signify horizontal water
motion.
❖ Significance of Ocean Current: Mobilize warm water from the equatorial region to the polar region and
cold water from the polar region to the equatorial region.
❖ Strength/Speed of Current: Measured in knots (1.852 km/hr).
❖ Depth and Speed Variations: Ocean currents exhibit diverse characteristics regarding depth and speed.
These currents can extend from depths of 500-5000 feet.
➢ Speed is typically measured in knots, with surface currents often exceeding five knots. Deeper
currents tend to be slower, typically below 0.5 knots.
❖ Current Strength and Behavior: Current strength is directly related to speed, with fast currents considered
strong. Additionally, currents tend to be strongest near the ocean's surface and gradually weaken with depth.
The majority of currents maintain speeds of five knots or less.
Types of Ocean Movements:
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❖ Drifts: It refers to the movement of surface water propelled by prevailing winds. Notable examples include
the North Atlantic Drift and West Wind Drift, characterized by speeds of 3-4 miles per hour and depths
ranging from 200-300 feet.
❖ Streams: They are faster-moving than drifts or general ocean currents, with speeds ranging from 10-12
miles per hour. Prominent examples include the Gulf Stream.
❖ Layered Movement: Ocean currents mimic flowing streams, capable of transporting surface water over
extensive distances. These currents initiate layer-by-layer movement, with the uppermost layer being the
most exposed and moving at the swiftest pace. Inter-layer friction acts as a resistance force impeding the
movement between layers.
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Classification of the Ocean Currents:

Classification of Ocean Currents by Temperature:
❖ Cold Currents: Cold currents transport cold waters into warmer regions. They typically flow along the west
coasts of continents in low and middle latitudes, and on the east coasts in higher latitudes in the Northern
Hemisphere. These currents can have temperatures ranging from 0 to 2 degrees Celsius.
❖ Warm Currents: Warm currents carry warm water into colder areas. They are commonly found along the
east coasts of continents in low and middle latitudes and on the west coasts of continents in high latitudes in
the Northern Hemisphere. These currents can have temperatures ranging from 27 to 29 degrees Celsius.
Classification of Ocean Currents by Depth:
❖ Surface Currents: Surface currents make up approximately 10 percent of all ocean water and encompass
the upper 400 meters of the ocean. They tend to move swiftly compared to deep currents.
❖ Deep Water Currents: Deep water currents constitute the remaining 90 percent of ocean water. These
currents circulate within ocean basins due to variations in water density and gravitational forces. Deep waters
sink into the ocean's depths at high latitudes, where the cold temperatures increase water density. These
currents have lower speeds due to increased resistance.
Classification of Ocean Currents by Nature:
❖ Ocean currents can also be categorized based on their nature, including their speed and other characteristics.
❖ On the basis of the nature of the current (high speed or low speed etc.)

Drift ❖ Low speed

❖ 2-3 miles/hr
❖ On the surface
❖ Example: West wind drift, North Atlantic Drift, etc.

Current ❖ Medium Speed

❖ 5-8 miles/hr
❖ Example: Labrador Current
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Streams ❖ High speed

❖ Large mass
❖ 10-12 miles/hr
❖ Example: Gulf stream

Factors that Affect the Flow of the Currents:

❖ Earth-Related Factors:
➢ Gravitation: Gravity exerts a pull on water, creating variations in gradient. Lighter water remains on
the surface, while denser water moves downward.
➢ Coriolis Force: In the northern hemisphere, the Coriolis force deflects water to the right, while in the
southern hemisphere, it deflects water to the left. This leads to the formation of large circular currents
known as Gyres.
➢ Friction: Friction with the ocean floor can slow down or modify the direction of ocean currents.
➢ Due to Wind: Wind patterns at the ocean's surface play a significant role in driving currents. Prevailing
winds, such as the Trade Winds and Westerlies, can push water in specific directions, creating surface
currents.
❖ Oceanic Factors:
➢ Temperature: Warm currents, reaching colder regions, maintaining higher temperatures in winter.
Equatorial heating causes water to expand, leading to surface flow from the equator to the poles, and
cold, dense, subsurface flow from the poles to the equator.
➢ Salinity: Water with high salinity is denser, causing it to sink, while less saline water rises. For
instance, the Mediterranean Sea's high salinity leads to subsurface flow into the Atlantic Ocean.
➢ Density: Differences in water density, influenced by temperature, salinity, and freshwater influx, affect
vertical mobility. Dense water sinks, initiating subsurface flow, as seen in the Greenland current.
❖ Atmosphere-Related Factors:
➢ Wind Systems: Wind patterns drive water movement. Friction between wind and the water's surface
affects its course.
➢ Planetary Winds: Trade winds move equatorial water polewards and westwards, impacting currents
like the Gulf Stream.
➢ Westerlies: In temperate latitudes, westerly winds influence currents like the North Atlantic Drift.
➢ Pressure Conditions: Falling winds create high pressure, compressing water while rising winds result
in low pressure and water expansion. Water flows from low-pressure to high-pressure areas.
➢ Precipitation: High precipitation leads to increased freshwater influx and lower salinity (light water),
while low precipitation results in higher salinity (heavy water that sinks).
❖ Physical Factors:
➢ The configuration, size, and shape of continents can act as barriers, diverting and guiding currents
parallel to coastlines.
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Impact of Ocean Currents:

❖ Heat Redistribution:
➢ Cold water from polar regions moves towards the equator, while warm water from the equator moves
towards polar regions.
❖ Moderate Weather:
➢ North Atlantic Drift: Warms European coasts and melts ice caps.
➢ Canary Current: Brings
cooling effect to Spain and
Portugal.
❖ Climatic Phenomena:
➢ Warm currents along east
coasts result in warm, rainy
climates.
➢ Fog forms at warm and cold
current intersections, e.g.,
Japan and the North Atlantic.
❖ Desert Formation:
➢ Cold currents cause aridity and
desert formation on western
continental sides, e.g., Canary and Humboldt/Peru currents.
❖ Precipitation:
➢ Wind over warm currents brings moisture and increased precipitation, e.g., North Atlantic Drift and
Kuroshio Current.
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❖ Impact on Marine Life:

➢ Mixing of warm and cold currents supports
plankton growth, crucial for fish
populations.
➢ Nutrient-rich upwelling zones nurture the
world's best fishing grounds.
❖ Navigational Aid:
➢ Sailors use ocean currents for navigation, e.g., Indian Ocean Arab travelers.
❖ Ocean currents have a profound impact on climate, ecosystems, and human activities, shaping the world's
weather patterns, marine life, and even historical navigation routes.

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