ESC1000 - Currents

Current

Moving mass of water.

Gyre

Large cycle of currents.

Surface Currents

Generated by wind blowing along the surface.

Coriolis effect

Slight bending of currents due to the spin of the Earth

Northern Hemisphere current

Bends to the right. (clockwise)

Southern Hemisphere current

Bends to the left. (counterclockwise)

Deep currents

Form from the decent of cold and/or saltier waters (denser)

Sargasso Sea

“Dead” area in the north Atlantic surrounded by currents.

Upwelling

Winds remove overlaying warm waters and cold waters rise.

Tides

Rise and fall of oceans due to the gravitational pull of the moon and sun. (Moon pulls at the water and the Earth??)

High Tides

Least influence of the sun and moon.

Low Tides

Water is pulled away due to greater influence.

Spring Tides

Occur when the sun and moon are on the same plane; creates extreme tides.

Neep Tides

Occurs when the sun and moon are perpendicular; results in the least tidal fluctuations.