Ocean Currents and Global Winds

Pattern for remembering the way winds curve

-flow from high to low pressure -winds are named for the direction they come from

Cold and warm water currents...

-help transport heat throughout the Earth -are large convection currents that form major ocean gyres

What is an Eddy?

A circular current of water Currents can pinch off sections and create circular currents of water

What is an ocean gyre and why do they form?

A large system of circular ocean currents formed by global wind patterns and forces created by Earth's rotation. In the Northern Hemisphere, ocean currents are deflected to the right, in a clockwise motion. In the Southern Hemisphere, ocean currents are pushed to the left, in a counterclockwise motion. This creates an ocean gyre.

What does the word doldrums mean?

A state or period of inactivity, stagnation, or depression

What weather/wind characterizes the horse latitudes?

Calm winds and little precipitation

Which way do ocean gyres rotate in the northern hemisphere?

Clockwise

What 2 factors causes global wind?

Differential heating of Earth and the Coriolis Effect

Where/what are the doldrums?

Doldrums are located at the equator. It is an equatorial region of the Atlantic Ocean with calm winds, sudden storms, and light unpredictable winds

On a map, do the following

Draw and label the high and low pressure areas the atmospheric circulation cells. The global winds Label major ocean circulation currents, particularly those that form the gyres and the circumpolar currents. Label the ocean basins and the major gyres.

What is the relationship between the direction of the global winds and the direction of the ocean currents formed by these winds? Give two specific examples

Global winds drive the surface currents, the winds deflect the currents. The North Atlantic Drift does not hit St. Johns because of the westerlies. The current deflects to the right towards London. Due to the southeast trade winds, the Peru current is deflected to the left. Therefore, global winds drive the surface currents.

Which way do ocean gyres rotate in the Southern hemisphere?

Counterclockwise

Which of the global winds governs North America?

North Westerlies

How do warm water currents such as the Gulf stream work together with global winds to affect climate?

When a warm ocean current is flowing towards land, the land will be warmer than if the current was a cold ocean current, then the land would be colder

Western boundary currents carry...

warm water from the tropics poleward

What currents are caused by differences in temperature, density and pressure are important in the formation of both wind and ocean currents?

Convection

In which direction do ocean currents under the Prevailing Westerlies flow?

East

Examples of Western Boundary Currents

Gulf Stream, Agulhas Current and Kuroshio

Where/what are the Horse Latitudes?

Horse latitudes are located at 30 degrees north and south. They are belts of calm air and sea occurring in both the northern and southern hemispheres between the trade winds and the westerlies

List the global winds from north to south.

North Easterlies, North Westerlies, Northeast Trade Winds, Southeast Trade winds, South Westerlies, South Easterlies

In what climate zone is the angle of insolation the lowest?

Polar

In what climate zone is the angle of insolation the highest?

Tropics

Global winds are caused by the uneven heating of earth's surface and the Coriolis. True or False?

True

Global winds are influenced by bands of alternating high and low pressure that are associated with lines of longitude. True or False?

True

In which direction do ocean currents under the Trade Winds flow?

West

Locate the Hadley, Ferrel and Polar cells

Hadley- Tropics (30 degrees north to 30 degrees south) Ferrel- Temperate (66.6N-30N and 66.6S-30S) Polar- Polar zones (66.6N-90N and 66.6S-90S)

Why is England relatively warm in the winter even though it is the same latitude as Newfoundland and Labrador?

The Gulf Stream flows towards London and since it is a warm current, London is warm. But, a cold water current, the Labrador current flows towards Red Bay, Labrador. Therefore, it is colder. *** The South westerlies push the warmer current towards England and away from Labrador. Although these locations are at the same latitude, the ocean currents and the global winds near it create a difference in temperature.

Western boundary currents form...

the western side of major ocean basins and gyres

Examples of Eastern Boundary Currents

California, Benguela, Peru

What weather/wind characterizes the doldrums?

Calm air, light winds, thunderstorms, no Coriolis

Discuss the major significant issue facing today's ocean gyres.

Garbage in the oceans is the major significant issue facing today's ocean gyres. This garbage is killing animals and polluting the environment. Littering into the ocean is not benefiting our environment at all and is just destroying it. Great Pacific Garbage Patch- trash vortex in the North Pacific Ocean

Major pollution issue facing ocean gyres

Garbage in the oceans is the major significant issue facing today's ocean gyres. This garbage is killing animals and polluting the environment. Littering into the ocean is not benefiting our environment at all and is just destroying it. People should recycle and reuse products rather than throw them away or just throwing them on the planet.

What are the three factors that affect the direction of ocean surface currents?

Global winds, the Coriolis Effect and continental deflections

Locate the easterlies, westerlies, trade winds

North Easterlies- 60N-90N North Westerlies- 30N-60N NorthEast trade winds- 0-30N SouthEast Trade winds- 0-30S South Westerlies- 30S-60S South Easterlies- 60S-90S

How did Horse latitudes get their name?

Spanish sailors ferrying horses to the West Indies were usually stuck for months in these calm waters and had to throw their horses into the water to conserve drinking water for themselves. This led to the term 'horse latitudes'

What are the two primary reasons for the uneven heating of the Earth?

The Earth's tilt and specific heat of land and water

What causes the differential heating of the Earth?

The Earth's tilt, rotation and revolution around the sun

Where does the Gulf Stream originate and flow?

The Gulf Stream starts at the Gulf of Mexico and flows to the Atlantic ocean at the top right of North America

How do the shape and location of continents affect surface currents?

The continents act as a wall and the currents bounce off the walls going in the opposite direction

What side of the continents do cold water currents run north along in the Southern hemisphere?

The left side

What side of the continents do cold water currents run south on in the Northern Hemisphere?

The left side

What side of the continents do warm water currents run north on in the Northern Hemisphere?

The right side

What side of the continents do warm water currents run south along in the Southern Hemisphere?

The right side

What is the ITCZ?

a belt of low pressure which circles the Earth generally near the equator where the trade winds of the Northern and Southern Hemispheres come together

Differential heating results in...

alternating bands of atmospheric high and low pressure

Eastern Boundary Currents

cold, relatively shallow, broad and slow-flowing

Atmospheric circulation cells and Coriolis...

combine to form global winds

Global winds (and ocean currents) flow the way they do because of...

convection

Warm water currents flow from the _____ to the _____ on the _____ side of the ocean basins and the _____ side of continents

equator to poles, west, right

Eastern boundary currents flow from...

poles

Cold water currents flow from the _____ to the _____ on the _____ side of the ocean basins and the _____ side of continents

poles to equator, east, left

Eastern boundary currents form...

the eastern boundary of major ocean basins and gyres

Western boundary currents flow towards...

the poles

Western Boundary Currents

warm, deep, narrow, and fast flowing currents

Surface Ocean Currents

when the water at the ocean surface is moved primarily by winds that blow in certain patterns because of the Earth's spin, continental deflection and the Coriolis Effect. Winds are able to move the top 400 meters of the ocean creating surface ocean currents