OCEAN CURRENTS.

OCEAN CURRENTS. 

the general movement of large mass of surface water in definite pattern is called ocean currents.

CAUSES OF THE MOVEMENT OF OCEAN CURRENTS. 

 The earth's rotation which results in the genesis of deflective or coriolis force.

The planetary winds.

Difference in the temperature of ocean waters between the equator and the poles.

Salinity of ocean affects the density of water, which is the main cause of movement of ocean water.

Shape and configuration of the continent determines the direction of ocean current.

OCEAN CURRENTS. 

Types of ocean currents on the basis of temperature can be divided into following. surface temperature are called warm currents.

cold currents: those ocean currents which flow from the polar region to the equatorial region, having a low surface temperature are called cold currents.

Major ocean currents of the Atlantic ocean. 

warm currents of the Atlantic ocean	Cold current of the Atlantic ocean
1.      North equatorial current which bifurcates into Antilles current and Caribbean current.	·         Labrador current – originates in Baffin Bay drifts south eastwards between Baffin island and Greenland and merges with Gulf stream off new found land.
2.      South equatorial current bifurcates at the protruding landmass of northeast Brazil into northern Cayenne current and the southern Brazilians current (south Atlantic ocean).	·         The irminger current or Greenland current – flows between Greenland and lee land and merges with North Atlantic drift.
3.      Gulf Stream – one of the strongest ocean current system which originates in the gulf of Mexico. It consists of (I)                 Florida current – from the strait of Florida  to cape hatteras (USA) (II)              Gulf stream (cold wall) – from cape hatteras to the Grand Bank (Northeast USAS) (III)            North Atlantic Drift – from the Grand bank, near new found land to western Europe .	·         Canaries current – continuation of north Atlantic drift along the western coast of Iberian Peninsula and North Africa in the southern direction.
4.      Counter equatorial current – flows from west to east in between the North and south Equatorial current.	·         Falkland current – flows northwards along the eastern coast of South America up to Argentina.
	·         South Atlantic drift – under the influence of westerlies at about 40˚s latitude, Brazilian current continues as the south Atlantic current. ·         Benguela current – flows northwards along the western coast of South Africa.