Currents & Climate Earth’s Waters Chapter 4.4 Pages 134-140.

Currents & Climate

Earth’s Waters Chapter 4.4Pages 134-140

Go With the Flow

• Currents: a large stream of moving water that flows through the ocean– Carry water great

distances– Occur at varying

depths

Surface Currents

• Surface currents affect water to a depth of several hundred meters– Driven mainly by

wind

• Move in circular pattern due to Coriolis Effect, caused by Earth’s rotation.

The Gulf Stream

Deep Currents

• Deep Currents are caused by differences in density, not wind

1. Warm surface water flows to poles

2. Cools and sinks3. Flows back

towards equator.

Climate• Climate is the

pattern of temperature and precipitation typical of an area over a long period of time

• Currents affect climate by cooling / warming air above them.

Upwelling

• Upwelling is the upward movement of cold water from the deep

• Caused when wind pushes warm surface water away

• Deep water brings with it valuable nutrients.

El Nino