Ocean Currents

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Ocean Current Noun

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[oh-shun kur-ent]

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Ocean Current

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A continuous, directed movement of seawater that flows like a river within the global ocean, distributing heat and nutrients.

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Example: This world map shows major ocean currents, using red arrows for warm water and blue arrows for cold water moving in large circular patterns called gyres.

Front

Convection Noun

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[kuhn-vek-shun]

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Convection

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The movement of water caused by differences in density, where warm, less-dense water rises and cold, dense water sinks.

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Example: In a pot of water, heat causes warm molecules to rise and cool molecules to sink, creating a circular movement called a convection current.

Front

Coriolis Effect Noun

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[kor-ee-oh-lis uh-fekt]

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Coriolis Effect

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The apparent deflection of moving objects to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and left in the Southern Hemisphere.

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Example: Because the Earth rotates, moving objects like wind and water currents appear to curve to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and to the left in the Southern Hemisphere.

Front

Density Noun

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[den-si-tee]

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Density

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A property of seawater determined by its temperature and salinity; colder, saltier water is denser and therefore sinks.

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Example: This image compares a floating cork, a sinking sphere, and a semi-submerged block to show how objects with different densities behave in water.

Front

Salinity Noun

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[suh-lin-i-tee]

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Salinity

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The measure of the total amount of dissolved salts in a given volume of seawater, which affects its density.

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Example: This image shows a person floating easily in water with high salinity, which increases water density and buoyancy, making it easier to float.

Front

Surface Current Noun

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[sur-fis kur-ent]

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Surface Current

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An ocean current in the upper layer of the ocean, typically the top 400 meters, primarily driven by wind.

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Example: This world map shows major surface currents, which are large streams of moving water in the ocean. Red arrows indicate warm currents and blue arrows show cold currents.

Front

Ocean Gyre Noun

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[oh-shun jahy-er]

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Ocean Gyre

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A large, circular system of surface currents that circulates within a major ocean basin, driven by wind and rotation.

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Example: This map shows an ocean gyre, a large system of circular ocean currents. Arrows illustrate the clockwise flow of water in the North Pacific Ocean.

Front

Western Boundary Current Noun

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[wes-tern boun-dree kur-ent]

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Western Boundary Current

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A warm, swift, and deep current that flows along the western edge of an ocean basin, transporting tropical heat.

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Example: This satellite image shows the Gulf Stream, a fast, warm Western Boundary Current, flowing north along the western edge of the Atlantic Ocean.

Front

Eastern Boundary Current Noun

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[ees-tern boun-dree kur-ent]

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Eastern Boundary Current

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A cool, slow, and shallow current that flows along the eastern edge of an ocean basin, carrying cold water.

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Example: This diagram shows how wind along a coast pushes warm surface water away, causing cold, nutrient-rich water from the deep to rise up.

Front

Continental Deflection Noun

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[kon-tuh-nen-tl dee-flek-shun]

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Continental Deflection

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The process where ocean currents are forced to change direction or turn when they encounter a continental landmass.

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Example: This map shows how ocean currents, like the South Equatorial Current, are forced to change direction, or deflect, when they run into a continent like South America.