Ocean Currents: Data, Information, and Resources

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The Earth’s ocean currents are continuously moving, and this movement is caused by several factors that act on the mass of water, which include wind, depth contours, ambient temperature, and the rotation of the earth. The gravitational force of the moon and the sun affect the direction of the ocean currents too. Ocean currents are important since they can influence the temperature and climate of a place, as evident from the Gulf Stream and the California Current, which change the climatic patterns of Northwest Europe and the Hawaiian Islands respectively.

Ocean waters are constantly on the move. How they move influences climate and living conditions for plants and animals, even on land.

Energy Of ocean currents. Ocean waters are constantly on the move. Ocean currents flow in complex patterns affected by the wind, water salinity and temperature, topography of the ocean floor, and the earth’s rotation.

noaa.gov Ocean currents influence the weather in coastal areas. They also influence sailing vessels. Though they visibly affect many people’s lives, they are invisible.

How has the ocean level changed since the ice age?

The volume of ocean water has a strong effect on the ocean currents, and interestingly, this volume keeps changing. The effects are negligible in a few hundred years or less, but in thousands of years, the water volume does change considerably. About a thousand years ago, England was invaded by William of Normandy. The coast where he landed was near Hastings, but presently, Hastings is located a few kilometers inland. During the last ice age, the level of water was more than a hundred meters lower than what it is today. In contrast, the level of ocean water was 50 meters higher about three million years ago.

What is in seawater?

Seawater is water that contains dissolved mineral salts, as well as other inorganic and organic particles. The concentration of mineral salt by weight is 3.5 percent. The debris of rocks that are carried by sources such as rivers, glaciers, and the ocean are the primary constituents of the dissolved mineral salt that is found in seawater. Each year, billions of tons of salt are added to the ocean. The salinity of seawater is defined as the amount of dissolved salt that is present in the water of the sea. Seawater’s average salinity is 35, and its freezing point is -1.9° C (28.6° F). Its density is 3 percent higher than freshwater. When the density of seawater is higher, water column will become unstable, and this will result in the formation of currents.

Why is sea water salty?
Water has great abundance on the Earth, and of that abundance about 97% is sea water. Sea water contains about 3.5% by weight of salt (sodium chloride).

What are the characteristics of an ocean?

An ocean mass is a particular body of water which has physical properties that are distinctly different from ordinary water, and these properties include chemical-isotopic ratio, temperature, and salinity. A water mass has a unique history of formation, and the volumes that are occupied by water masses are definable as well. Oceanographers can quantify the mixing of a water mass by observing the changes in salinity and temperature that take place in the water mass. Some of the major water masses in the ocean include the Arctic Intermediate Water (AIW), Circumpolar Deep Water (CDW), Antarctic Bottom Water (AABW), Antarctic Intermediate Water (AAIW), Sub Antarctic Mode Water (SAMW), and the North Atlantic Deep Water (NADW).

Sea Surface Temperature
a web based ocean current site.

How are ocean currents measured?

For almost half a century, the Acoustic Doppler backscattering technique was one of the most common ways to measure ocean currents. Presently, an indirect method for measuring current velocity is being used. With this method, the salinity and temperature of water are first observed, then the water density is evaluated, and finally, the pressure is calculated from the water density. In this way, the high pressure and low pressure zones of the ocean can be charted, which allows the oceanographers to estimate the ocean currents. To measure ocean currents directly, a current meter is often deployed. The meter records the flow direction and speed of the currents. The typical setup for direct measurement includes a surface float, nylon wire lines to hold the current meters, and a release mechanism that retrieves the system from the ocean floor. The VACM, or the Vector Averaging Current Meter, is one such meter that is used for this purpose. It incorporates integrated circuits for greater measurement accuracy.

noaa.gov ocean current data.

Resource by E.Trio

I am an online writer and soon to be published author. I grew up in Southern California, but I currently live in the Bay Area while I work on my books. I enjoy camping and hiking with my dog Max or just relaxing on the back porch while I write. Stay tuned for my first children’s book to be released about Max.

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