Surface Currents

a horizontial movement of ocean water that is coused by wind and that occurs at or near the ocean's surface

effected by: Coriolis effect, global winds, continential deflections

Coriolis Effect

the curving path of a moving object from an otherwise straight path due to earth's rotation

noticable for fast traveling objects

Deep Current

a streamlike movement of ocean water far below the surface.

caused by water density

water density is affected by salinity and tempature

cold water denser then warm water

water with high salinity is denser then water with low salinity

Continental Deflections

when surface currents hits bodies of land they bounce off and change direction

Convection Currents

any movement of matter that results from differences in density; may be verticial, circular, or cylinder

all currents are convection currents

Global Circulation

transfers Heat, Nutrients, and Oxgen

Warm-Water Currents

surface currents are often warmer then deep currents but they do vary.

the heat is absorbed in the atmosphere by newfoundland that why the tempature can be warm at such a high latitude

El Nino

a change in the water tempature in the pacific ocean that produces a warm current

every 2-12 years

causes to have oppoisote weather for up to a year