What are the 4 currents that make up the North Atlantic Gyre?
The gyre is generated by four prevailing ocean currents that move in a clockwise round pattern: To the north is the North Pacific Current, to the east is the California Current, to the south is the North Equatorial Current, and to the west is the Kuroshio Current.
How does the North Atlantic Gyre rotate?
When the wind blows over the surface, it drags water along with it, causing a fast flowing current that gradually decreases its speed with depth. The combination of the Trade Winds blowing to the West and the Westerlies Winds blowing to the East cause the North Atlantic to rotate clockwise.
Does the North Atlantic Gyre rotates counterclockwise?
In the Northern Hemisphere the gyres rotate to the right (clockwise), while in the Southern Hemisphere the gyres rotate to the left (counterclockwise). There are five major gyres in the oceans; the North Atlantic, South Atlantic, North Pacific, South Pacific, and Indian (Figure 9.1.
What are the currents in the North Atlantic Ocean?
The North Atlantic Current (NAC), also known as North Atlantic Drift and North Atlantic Sea Movement, is a powerful warm western boundary current within the Atlantic Ocean that extends the Gulf Stream northeastward.
Which direction do the North Pacific currents rotate?
Pacific Ocean …the movement known as the North Pacific Current. The surface waters of the Bering Sea circulate in a counterclockwise direction.
Are gyres surface currents?
The global pattern of winds together with the Coriolis Effect and Ekman Transport produce large-scale currents in the world ocean. Ocean surface currents organize into Gyres that are characterized by circulation at the scale of the ocean basin.
What ocean surface currents are part of the North Pacific subtropical gyre?
This particular gyre covers most of the Pacific Ocean and comprises four prevailing ocean currents: the North Pacific Current to the north, the California Current to the east, the North Equatorial Current to the south, and the Kuroshio Current to the west.
What are the major currents of the North Pacific Gyre?
The gyre has a clockwise circular pattern and is formed by four prevailing ocean currents: the North Pacific Current to the north, the California Current to the east, the North Equatorial Current to the south, and the Kuroshio Current to the west.
What is ocean currents short answer?
An ocean current is a continuous movement of ocean water from one place to another. Ocean currents are created by wind, water temperature, salt content, and the gravity of the moon. The current’s direction and speed depend on the shoreline and the ocean floor.