Ocean Currents NOTES.notebook

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February 10, 2016

Jan 27­1:19 PM

Ocean Currents

Jan 27­1:19 PM

Ocean Current

Large _________________ of moving water that flows throughthe ocean.

Carries water over ______________ distances.

Two types of currents:

• _____________________

• _____________________

stream

great

SurfaceDeep Water

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Surface Currents

Driven by _______________ ______________

Move in circular patterns called ______________

Circular patterns a result of the __________________

_______________

______________________ in the Northern Hemisphere

______________________ in the Southern Hemisphere

global windsgyres

CoriolisEffect

Clockwise

Counterclockwise

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Surface Currents

Five Gyres

1. ________________________________________

2. ________________________________________

3. ________________________________________

4. ________________________________________

5. ________________________________________

North AtlanticSouth AtlanticNorth Pacific

South PacificIndian Ocean

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Surface CurrentsEach gyre normally made up of _____________ currents4

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Western Intensification

Center of gyre tends to favor the ______________ boundarywestern

Ocean Currents NOTES.notebook

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February 10, 2016

Jan 27­1:19 PM

Western Intensification

The western boundary of all gyres tend to be:

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

Currents run along _______________ coasts of land

Narrow (< 100 km)

Deep (~2 km)

Fast (100's of km/day)

Warmeastern

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Western Intensification

The eastern boundary of all gyres tend to be:

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

Currents run along _______________ coasts of land

Wide (1000 km)

Shallow (~0.5 km)

Slow (10's of km/day)

Cool

western

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Surface Currents

Jan 27­1:19 PM

Tropical Convergence

Centers of gyres tend to be around _____ degrees latitude

Convergence is caused by water piling up in the ___________of the gyre

Forms a __________ of water about _____ meters high in the center

30center

hill 2

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Effects of Currents on Climate

Currents move both _________ and __________ waterall around the Earth

Surface currents ____________ or ___________ the air

above it, influencing the ____________ of the land near

the ______________.

cold warm

cool warmclimate

coast

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Effects of Currents on Climate

Warm currents tend to add ________________ to the

winds as they blow across them.

Results in _________ temperatures and __________weather

moisture

mild rainy

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February 10, 2016

Jan 27­1:19 PM

Effects of Currents on Climate

Cold currents tend to __________ the winds as they blow across them.

Brings _________ and __________ weather to theland

cool

cool dry

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Deep Water Currents

Over _____ km deep

Transport the very _________ waters at the ___________of the ocean

Caused by differences in ______________ rather than

______________ winds

2

cold bottom

density

surface

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Deep Water Currents

___________ water flows back toward the _______________

along the ocean floor’s hills and valleys

Affected by the ___________________ effect, which causes

them to _____________

Moves and __________ water around the __________

Cold equator

Corioliscurve

mixes world

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Deep Water Currents

Move ______________ than surface currents

Estimates indicate they may take as long as

_________ years to make the round trip from the

pole, to the equator, and back to the pole

slower

1000

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Ocean Currents NOTES.notebook

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February 10, 2016

Jan 27­1:19 PM

Upwelling

The upward movement of __________ water from the ocean depths.

As winds blow away the warm _____________ water,

___________ water rises to replace it.

___________ water contains many ______________

(and therefore ____________). Upwelling allows them

to be brought to the ________________.

cold

surfacecold

Cold nutrientsfish

surface

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Upwelling Example

West coast of South America

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El Niño

Every _____ to ______ years

Forms around ______________________

A ________________ ocean event; however, disrupts

weather patterns around the entire world (especially the

________________areas)

2 7

Christmas time

Pacific

coastal

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Add to notes: El Nino results in a reversal of equatorial current -- resulting in disruption of normal weather patterns

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