The marine currents of the continents Ocean currents, or ocean currents, are known as a characteristic of the movement of waters that form the oceans and larger oceans and are attributed to a variety of factors, including the Earth's rotation, winds, and the position of the continents. In this article, we'll tell you what continental ocean currents are, their characteristics, types, and causes.
What are the marine currents of the continents
Ocean currents generally involve masses of warm and cold water, uniting different climatic zones around the world, flowing on the surface and under the sea:
- warm stream. They are surface waters that originate in the oceans of tropical regions, migrate from the east coast of the continents to mid-high latitudes, against the Earth's rotation, and occur only in the northern hemisphere.
- cold stream. They are colder and deeper waters that rise in the tropics or subtropics and compensate for warmer waters as they reach the west coast of the continent. They are exclusive to the arctic region, because in the antarctic region there are very few circular currents around the poles.
The constant movement of these ocean currents around the world maintains the Earth's energy and heat cycles, resulting in a series of more or less fixed climates in certain areas, such as the dry climate of the region's west coast. The west coast of the mid-high latitude continent has a warm, humid subtropical climate. The same is true for the salinity of seawater. This combined cycle is known as global thermohaline circulation. To learn more about this process, you can review the different aspects of ocean currents.
Types of marine currents of the continents
According to the characteristics of the current, we can talk about the following types of current:
- Ocean currents: They exhibit constant motion generated by the Earth's rotation, generally in an east-west direction in the tropics, or in the opposite direction in mid- or high-latitude regions.
- tidal currents: Periodic ocean currents that circulate daily, creating the pull of the moon and sun on the surface (ie warmer waters). They move large amounts of water from the northern to the southern hemisphere and vice versa.
- Wave currents: They are produced by wind (especially storms or hurricanes), occur over water, and have limited impact.
- Longshore drift currents: They originate from the meeting of ocean currents with the coastal topography, which forces them to change their course or direction.
- Density currents: Those waters that originate in the contact zone between two masses of water of different densities, such as waters of greater or lesser salinity, or of greater or lesser temperature. They are usually found in straits between different oceans, along the equatorial axis or along the Arctic Circle.
How they are formed
Currents are shaped by a variety of factors, including water temperature, wind, Earth's rotation, and underwater topography. They are the result of complex interactions between water temperature, wind, Earth's rotation, and underwater topography.
One of the main causes of ocean currents is the difference in water temperature between the equator and the poles. Warm water near the equator tends to move toward the poles, while cold water at the poles moves toward the equator. These currents are called thermohaline currents. For more information on how these currents affect the climate, see the Gulf Stream and its influence.
Wind also affects the formation of ocean currents. Strong winds push surface water in a particular direction, creating currents. The direction of ocean currents is also affected by the Earth's rotation, causing clockwise currents in the Northern Hemisphere and counterclockwise currents in the Southern Hemisphere.
Underwater topography also plays an important role in the formation of ocean currents. Ocean currents can move through the depth of the water and follow the shape of the coastline. Ocean currents that form near the shore are called longshore currents and can be especially strong in areas with uneven underwater topography. Furthermore, the effects of currents can be significant in regions with high maritime transit.
Causes of the ocean currents of the continents
The three most important physical causes of ocean currents are:
- land movements: Both the translation and the rotation of the planet cause a constant movement of most of the water, although in many cases its movement is in the opposite direction to the rotation of the Earth.
- planetary winds. Winds do not directly cause tides, but they do contribute to them, not only by displacing surface water (like waves), but also by mobilizing heat energy in the atmosphere to circulate through the environment, thus affecting tides.
- The upwelling of cold waters. The deep waters of the ocean are cold because they are denser and have less energy. These ocean waters rise to the surface in specific areas of the tropics, pushing the warmer water forward.
Importance of marine currents of the continents
These are the reasons why the marine currents of the continents are so important for the balance on the planet:
- It is important that professional and recreational divers are familiar with all types of currents and their characteristics in order to avoid the dangers associated with suction.
- Olympic sailors or open water swimmers use the current to maintain speed and conserve energy.
- ocean currents as well they are good for transport and trade because the same direction of the wind push and the waves reduce the cost of fuel to travel.
- Another important thing to know about ocean currents is that they regulate the climate around the world and help maintain healthy marine biodiversity, which you can read about in more detail in this article. article on marine life.
- The transport of nutrients enriches the waters and increases the diversity of species. Likewise, cold and warm currents are important for the migration of many marine species.
- It has been shown that ocean currents can be harnessed to generate ocean power. This is something that is still being tested and researched.
What to do if you get carried away by the current
The most dangerous currents are rip currents, or rip currents, because they can drag swimmers to great depths far from shore. They are not always visible as they depend on the clarity of the water and the type of sediment.
The only advice to ensure life is to remember a basic instruction: swim fast anywhere parallel to the shore, as these funnels or channels are narrow, normally not more than 10 meters.
If we swim forward, that is, we sail against the current, we will never make it. The power of the water simply wears us further from shore. Therefore, panic reduces the chances of survival.
I hope that with this information you can learn more about the marine currents of the continents and their characteristics.
