Part One
1. Wind- Is the main factor creating surface currents. West to East winds have the greatest effect on ocean currents.
Water Density- Caused by the temperature and salinity of the water. Cold water or water with more salinity is denser and will sink. The sinking water pushes the water below it upwards causing ocean current.
Ocean Bottom Topography- When water forms around the topography of the ocean. If the ocean bottom drops into a trench the water will move downwards. If the ocean rises in the form of a ridge, the water will move upwards. The change in current causes water displacement which creates current.
Coriolis Effect-The Earth’s rotation creates two currents with one moving in a clockwise motion in the Northern Hemisphere and …show more content…
The Coriolis Effect is responsible for the movement of the wind currents. The winds affect the ocean current with their movement on the ocean surface.
3. The ocean and atmospheric transfer heat between each other. The ocean’s currents depend on the temperatures of the air surrounding them. If the ocean currents were altered the changes could a significant impact on the earth’s climate.
4. An upwelling is cold water moving from the ocean floor upwards towards the surface. When the cold water makes it to the surface, it brings along large deposits of nutrients that have been on the ocean floor for a long period of time.
5. When the temperature of the wind currents and the ocean currents rise, the density will decrease. So when the temperature of the wind currents and ocean currents become lower, the density will increase. Movement of currents are powered by the differences in density.
6. The Earth’s rotation is the greatest factor of influence on weather patterns. Its rotation plays a large role on the planet’s climates by the massive ocean currents it creates. These currents move water across the planet that heat colder areas with warm water from tropical areas and vice versa.
Part Two
Morro Bay, California, North America, United States, Pacific