Warm and cold currents. Currents of the oceans. What is cold and warm flow? Description and examples of currents on the contour map 7

NASA specialists have created a new map of the currents of the world's oceans. Its difference from all previous ones is in interactivity - anyone can independently look at all stable water flows and determine the temperature nature of the flow.

Did you know that ocean water is not uniform? It is logical that closer to the surface it is warmer than at depth. However, not everyone knows that the volume of salt in ocean water, with rare exceptions, is inversely proportional to the depth at which this water is located - the deeper, the fresher. However, there are exceptions to this rule. For example, in the Arctic and Antarctic, deep waters are also saturated with salt - ice layers that penetrate to great depths contain particles of surface salt evaporation, enriching the entire water layer with them.

The top layer of ocean water is driven by stable air currents. Thus, the map of ocean currents is generally identical to the map of sea winds.

Unique online map

A unique map with which you can see in detail the currents of all the oceans of the world

The model was developed to demonstrate the mechanism of thermal circulation in the world's waters. However, the map is not absolutely accurate - in order to better demonstrate the difference between surface and deep water flows, at certain times the depth indicator is somewhat overestimated in relation to the real one.

The animation component of the new map was modeled by NASA scientists at the Goddard Space Flight Center laboratory.

Comparative contour map of currents

Below is a classic contour map of the currents of the world ocean in Russian, which schematically displays all the main cold and warm currents of the world ocean. The arrows indicate the direction of movement, and the color indicates the temperature characteristic of the water - warm or cold is a particular current.

Sea currents are constant or periodic flows in the thickness of the world's oceans and seas. There are constant, periodic and irregular currents; surface and underwater, warm and cold currents. Depending on the cause of the current, wind and density currents are distinguished.
The direction of the currents is influenced by the force of the Earth's rotation: in the Northern Hemisphere, the currents move to the right, in the Southern - to the left.
The current is called warm if its temperature is warmer than the temperature of the surrounding waters, otherwise, the current is called cold.

Density currents are caused by pressure differences that result from uneven distribution of seawater density. Density currents are formed in the deep layers of the seas and oceans. A striking example of density currents is the warm Gulf Stream.

Wind currents are formed under the action of winds, as a result of the friction forces of water and air, turbulent viscosity, pressure gradient, deflecting forces of the Earth's rotation, and some other factors. Wind currents are always superficial. Northern and South Trade winds, Western Winds, Intertrade Pacific and Atlantic.

1) Gulf Stream - a warm sea current in the Atlantic Ocean. In a broad sense, the Gulf Stream is a system of warm currents in the northern part of the Atlantic Ocean from Florida to the Scandinavian Peninsula, Svalbard, the Barents Sea and the Arctic Ocean.
Thanks to the Gulf Stream, the countries of Europe adjacent to the Atlantic Ocean have a milder climate than other regions at the same geographical latitude: masses of warm water heat the air above them, which is transferred to Europe by westerly winds. Deviations of air temperature from average latitude values in January reach 15–20 °C in Norway, and more than 11 °C in Murmansk.

2) The Peruvian current is a cold surface current in the Pacific Ocean. Moves from south to north between 4° and 45° south latitude along the western coasts of Peru and Chile.

3) The Canary Current is a cold and, subsequently, moderately warm sea current in the northeastern part of the Atlantic Ocean. Directed from north to south along the Iberian Peninsula and Northwest Africa as a branch of the North Atlantic Current.

4) The Labrador Current is a cold sea current in the Atlantic Ocean, flowing between the coast of Canada and Greenland and rushing south from the Baffin Sea to the Newfoundland Bank. There it meets the Gulf Stream.

5) The North Atlantic Current is a powerful warm ocean current that is the northeastern continuation of the Gulf Stream. Starts at the Great Newfoundland Bank. West of Ireland, the current is divided into two parts. One branch (the Canary Current) runs south and the other north along the coast of northwestern Europe. The current is believed to have a significant influence on the climate in Europe.

6) The cold California Current emerges from the North Pacific Current, moves along the coast of California from the northwest to the southeast, merges in the south with the North Tradewind Current.

7) Kuroshio, sometimes the Japan Current - a warm current off the southern and eastern coasts of Japan in the Pacific Ocean.

8) The Kuril current or Oyashio is a cold current in the northwest Pacific Ocean, which originates in the waters of the Arctic Ocean. In the south, near the Japanese Islands, it merges with Kuroshio. It flows along Kamchatka, the Kuriles and the Japanese islands.

9) The North Pacific Current is a warm ocean current in the North Pacific Ocean. It is formed as a result of the confluence of the Kuril Current and Kuroshio. Moves from the Japanese islands to the shores of North America.

10) Brazilian current - a warm current of the Atlantic Ocean off the eastern coast of South America, directed to the southwest.

P.S. To understand where the various currents are, study the set of maps. It will also be useful to read this article

The Atlantic Ocean, or the Atlantic, is the second largest (after the Pacific) and the most developed among other water areas. From the east it is limited by the coast of South and North America, from the west - by Africa and Europe, in the north - by Greenland, in the south it merges with the Southern Ocean.

Distinctive features of the Atlantic: a small number of islands, a complex bottom topography and a heavily indented coastline.

Ocean characteristics

Area: 91.66 million sq. km, with 16% of the territory falling on the seas and bays.

Volume: 329.66 million sq. km

Salinity: 35‰.

Depth: average - 3736 m, maximum - 8742 m (Puerto Rico Trench).

Temperature: in the very south and north - about 0 ° C, at the equator - 26-28 ° C.

Currents: conventionally, 2 circulations are distinguished - the Northern (currents move clockwise) and the Southern (counterclockwise). The gyres are separated by the Equatorial inter-trade countercurrent.

Main currents of the Atlantic Ocean

Warm:

Northern trade wind - begins off the western coast of Africa, crosses the ocean from east to west and meets the Gulf Stream near Cuba.

Gulfstream- the most powerful current in the world, which carries 140 million cubic meters of water per second (for comparison: all the rivers of the world carry only 1 million cubic meters of water per second). It originates near the coast of the Bahamas, where the Florida and Antilles currents meet. Together, they give rise to the Gulf Stream, which, through the strait between Cuba and the Florida Peninsula, enters the Atlantic Ocean with a powerful stream. The current then moves north along the US coast. Approximately off the coast of North Carolina, the Gulf Stream turns east and out into the open ocean. After about 1500 km, it meets the cold Labrador Current, which slightly changes the course of the Gulf Stream and carries it to the northeast. Closer to Europe, the current is divided into two branches: Azores and North Atlantic.

It has only recently become known that a reverse current flows 2 km below the Gulf Stream, heading from Greenland to the Sargasso Sea. This stream of icy water was called the Antigulf Stream.

north atlantic- a continuation of the Gulf Stream, which washes the western coast of Europe and brings the warmth of the southern latitudes, providing a mild and warm climate.

Antillean- begins east of the island of Puerto Rico, flows north and joins the Gulf Stream near the Bahamas. Speed — 1-1.9 km/h, water temperature 25-28°C.

Intertrade countercurrent - current around the globe at the equator. In the Atlantic, it separates the North Equatorial and South Equatorial currents.

South trade wind (or South Equatorial) - passes through the southern tropics. The average water temperature is 30°C. When the South Equatorial Current reaches the shores of South America, it divides into two branches: caribbean, or Guiana (flows north to the coast of Mexico) and brazilian- moves south along the coast of Brazil.

Guinean located in the Gulf of Guinea. It flows from west to east and then turns south. Together with the Angolan and South Equatorial forms a cyclic course of the Gulf of Guinea.

Cold:

Lomonosov countercurrent - discovered by a Soviet expedition in 1959. It originates off the coast of Brazil and moves north. A stream 200 km wide crosses the equator and flows into the Gulf of Guinea.

Canarian- flows from north to south, towards the equator along the coast of Africa. This wide stream (up to 1 thousand km) near Madeira and the Canary Islands meets the Azores and Portuguese currents. Approximately in the region of 15°N. joins with the Equatorial Countercurrent.

Labrador - begins in the strait between Canada and Greenland. It flows south to the Newfoundland bank, where it meets the Gulf Stream. The waters of the current carry cold from the Arctic Ocean, and along with the stream, huge icebergs are carried south. In particular, the iceberg that destroyed the famous Titanic was brought by the Labrador Current.

Benguela- is born near the Cape of Good Hope and moves along the coast of Africa to the north.

Falkland (or Malvinas) branches off from the West Wind Current and flows north along the east coast of South America to La Plata Bay. Temperature: 4-15°C.

The course of the westerly winds encircles the globe in the region of 40-50 °S. The stream moves from west to east. In the Atlantic it branches off South Atlantic flow.

Underwater world of the Atlantic Ocean

The underwater world of the Atlantic is poorer in diversity than in the Pacific Ocean. This is due to the fact that the Atlantic Ocean was more frozen during the ice age. But the Atlantic is richer in the number of individuals of each species.

The flora and fauna of the underwater world is clearly distributed across climatic zones.

The flora is represented mainly by algae and flowering plants (Zostera, Posidonia, Fucus). In the northern latitudes, kelp predominates, in temperate latitudes - red algae. Phytoplankton flourishes throughout the ocean at depths of up to 100 m.

The fauna is rich in species. Almost all species and classes of marine animals live in the Atlantic. Of the commercial fish, herring, sardine, and flounder are especially valued. There is an active catch of crustaceans and mollusks, whaling is limited.

The tropical belt of the Atlantic is striking in its abundance. There are many corals and many amazing species of animals: turtles, flying fish, several dozen species of sharks.

For the first time the name of the ocean is found in the writings of Herodotus (5th century BC), who calls it the sea of Atlantis. And in the 1st century AD. Roman scientist Pliny the Elder writes about the vast expanse of water, which he calls Oceanus Atlantikus. But the official name "Atlantic Ocean" was fixed only by the 17th century.

There are 4 stages in the history of Atlantic exploration:

1. From antiquity to the 15th century. The first documents that talk about the ocean date back to the 1st millennium BC. The ancient Phoenicians, Egyptians, Cretans and Greeks knew the coastal zones of the water area well. Preserved maps of those times with detailed measurements of depths, indications of currents.

2. Time of the Great geographical discoveries (XV-XVII centuries). The development of the Atlantic continues, the ocean becomes one of the main trade routes. In 1498, Vasco de Gama, rounding Africa, paved the way to India. 1493-1501 Three voyages of Columbus to America. The Bermuda anomaly has been identified, many currents have been discovered, detailed maps of depths, coastal zones, temperatures, and bottom topography have been compiled.

Expeditions of Franklin in 1770, I. Kruzenshtern and Yu. Lisyansky in 1804-06.

3. XIX-first half of the XX century - the beginning of scientific oceanographic research. Chemistry, physics, biology, geology of the ocean are being studied. A map of currents has been drawn up, and research is being carried out to lay a submarine cable between Europe and America.

4. 1950s - our days. A comprehensive study of all components of oceanography is being carried out. In priority: studying the climate of different zones, identifying global atmospheric problems, ecology, mining, ensuring the movement of ships, seafood.

In the center of the Belize Barrier Reef is a unique underwater cave - the Great Blue Hole. Its depth is 120 meters, and at the very bottom there is a whole gallery of smaller caves connected by tunnels.

The only sea in the world without shores, the Sargasso, is located in the Atlantic. Its borders are formed by ocean currents.

One of the most mysterious places on the planet is located here: the Bermuda Triangle. The Atlantic Ocean is also the birthplace of another myth (or reality?) - the mainland of Atlantis.

2) The Peruvian current is a cold surface current in the Pacific Ocean. Moves from south to north between 4° and 45° south latitude along the western coasts of Peru and Chile.

6) The cold California Current emerges from the North Pacific Current, moves along the coast of California from the northwest to the southeast, merges in the south with the North Tradewind Current.

7) Kuroshio, sometimes the Japan Current - a warm current off the southern and eastern coasts of Japan in the Pacific Ocean.

10) Brazilian current - a warm current of the Atlantic Ocean off the eastern coast of South America, directed to the southwest.

P.S. To understand where the various currents are, study the set of maps. It will also be useful to read this article

The oceans are a huge amount of water. She is not at rest, but constantly moving. There are several main currents of the World Ocean, which have their own names.

general information

Navigators were the first to know about the presence of water currents in the ocean. Currents guided ships and helped explorers make their discoveries. An ocean current is the movement of a large amount of water in one direction. The speed of such movement can reach 10 km / h.

Rice. 1. Ocean currents

Currents are also called a river in the ocean because they have a certain direction and width.

The movement of water in the Northern Hemisphere is clockwise. In the South there is a counterclockwise flow of water. This pattern is called the Coriolis force.

Ocean currents occur under the influence of several factors:

rotation of the planet around its axis;
wind;
interaction of gravitations of the Earth and the Moon;
seabed topography;
coastline topography;
water temperature;
chemical and physical water properties.

Warm and cold currents are released in the ocean.

Warm water currents

A warm flow is a flow with a higher water temperature than the temperature of the surrounding water mass.

One of the most famous warm currents is the Gulf Stream. It is located in the Atlantic Ocean. The Gulf Stream begins in the Sargasso Sea, then goes out into the ocean along the coast of the United States.

The Gulf Stream is located in the Northern Hemisphere, but despite this, it flows counterclockwise, like water currents in the Southern Hemisphere.

The North Atlantic warm current exerts its influence on the climate of Europe, passing near its shores. It also begins in the northern seas, and then rushes to the east.

In the Pacific Ocean there is a wide warm Kuroshio current. It starts in the Philippine Islands and reaches Japan.

Cold water streams

A cold current is one whose temperature is lower than the surrounding water.

The largest is the East Greenland Current, which begins in the Arctic Ocean and heads to the Atlantic.

Another cold current begins in the Bering Sea - the Kamchatka. It goes around Kamchatka, the Kuriles, Japan, displacing the warm Kuroshio Current.

With the help of a map of the currents of the World Ocean, you can see that they all form a single harmonious system.

Rice. 3. Currents form a strict system

What have we learned?

An ocean current is a flow of water moving in one direction. Distinguish between warm and cold currents. They have a significant impact on the climate.

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