Currents

CurrentsAndy Holmes, Jay Karon, Ina de Weerdt, Chun Hoi Chan, Alex Burns

Major CurrentsAgulhas Current Indian Warm Alaska Current North Pacific Warm Benguela Current South AtlanticWarm/Cool Brazil Current South AtlanticWarm California Current North PacificCool Canaries Current North AtlanticCool East Australian Current South PacificWarm Equitorial Current PacificWarm Gulf Stream North AltanticWarm Humboldt (Peru) Current South PacificCool Kuroshio (Japan) Current North PacificWarm Labrador Current North AtlanticCool North Atlantic Drift North AtlanticWarm North Pacific Drift North PacificWarm Oyashio (Kamchatka) Current North PacificCool West Australian Current IndianCool West Wind Drift South PacificCool 2WindPlanet RotationTemperatureSalinityGravitational Effects of the MoonFactors together form a conveyor belt Gyres are circular currentsFactors of Currents

Average ocean salinity is 3.5%Varies from32-37 pptFactorsPrecipitationEvaporationRiver Run-OffsIce FormationSalinity

Dead Sea Salinity 354 pptEffects of SalinityHigh SalinityIncreases evaporation pointIncreases density

Low SalinityDecreases evaporation pointDecreases densityDensity drives deep-sea currents

Upwelling & DownwellingUpwellingCold water risesElevates rich nutrientsEx. Warm gulf stream meets the Labrador current

DownwellingWarm water descendsBrings oxygen down

Good circulation refreshes water

Ex. Summer upwelling from Northwesterlies off the coast of Vancouver IslandForms the Race RocksHumboldt Current from South Chile to Peru.Great marine life diversityLarge fisheries Rich Areas

Upwelling of the East Australian Current helped form the Great Barrier ReefMore importantly it helped Nemo return homeSpots in the crust leak magma, super- heating the surrounding waterFound near plate boundariesand hotspotsCreates unique ecosystemsTemperature around 400 CHydrothermal Vents

Located in the north Pacific Ocean between Hawaii and CaliforniaThis area is in the middle of the north Pacific sub-tropic gyreCenter of gyre is calmCircular motion draws in debris and prevents escapeSize estimates vary wildly

Trash IslandGlobal warmingIncreasing temperatures affect currentsPollutionGets trapped and creates environmental hazardsDrillingSpills are dispersed through currents

IssuesNASAs Animation

the equator.the Tropic of Cancer.the Tropic of Capricorn.All the above.

Q1. Currents are found around ____.Higher temperature water to the surface.Cooler temperature water to the surface.Nutrients to sustain organisms.Both b & cAll the above.

Q2. Upwelling delivers ______.The Gulf Stream. The Northwesterlies.The Humboldt.The East Australian Current.

Q3. What current helped Nemo find his way home?North Pacific Ocean.Eastern Indian Ocean.North Atlantic OceanAntarctic Ocean.

Q4. Where is Trash Island located?A hydrothermal vent.A rectangular current.A tool to measure salinity.A circular current.

Q5. What is a gyre?7%20%3.5%0.8%Q6. What is average ocean salinity?A cave.A volcano.A hurricane.A sea anemone.Q7. A hydrothermal vent is most similar to what?WindPlanet RotationTemperatureSalinityGravitational Effects of the Moon

Name two factors of currents.Creates denser waterCreates convection currentsIncreases evaporation pointResults in less precipitationHigh salinity can be dangerous to organismsName two effects of high salinity levels. The world faces the increasing threat of rising global temperature. How do ocean currents relate to this danger?Critical Question?Textbookhttp://www.ehow.com/about_5517246_salinity-impact-oceans-currents.htmlEducation.nationalgeographic.com/trashislandhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upwellinghttp://science.nasa.gov/earth-science/oceanography/physical-ocean/salinity/http://geography.about.com/library/misc/blcurrents.htm NASA's Goddard Space Flight CenterDisneyWorks Cited23