Oceanic Currents

Ocean Currents:

In the Northern Hemisphere Ocean currents move in clockwise direction

In the Southern Hemisphere Ocean currents move in anti clockwise direction

Those currents which flows from Equatorial region towards Pole are called Warm currents. Major warm currents are:

In the Northern Hemisphere:-

*North Equatorial Current:

It forms between the 0 to 10 degree North Latitude, near the west coast of Africa it is generated because of up-welling of the cold water

*Cayenne Current

It is a part of south equatorial current which separates itself from the main current at the shoulder of north east of Brazil and then joined to North Equatorial Current and form Florida Current and Gulf Stream.

*Florida Current

It flows from the strait of Florida to Cape Hatteras

*Antilles Current

Flows to the east of West Indies island and helps in the formation of Sargasso Sea eddy

*Gulf Stream

Flows through gulf of Mexico

*Irminger Current

It is a part of the North Atlantic drift which flows through southwest coast of Iceland. It mixes with East Greenland Current.

*Kuroshio Current

It is a part of the North equatorial Current which flows along the coast of the Philippines and Formosa through east China Sea. Its warm water keeps the ports of Alaska coast ice free.

*Tsushima Current

It is a part of the Kuroshio Current which flows along the western coast of Japan

In the Southern Hemisphere:-

*South Equatorial Current

This current flows from the west coast of Africa to the eastern coast of North America.

*East Australian Current

It moves warm water from the tropical Coral Sea, where it splits from the South Equatorial Current

*Agulhas Current

It flows down the east coast of Africa from 27 degree South to 40 degree South. It is narrow, swift and strong.

*Brazilian Current

It is a part of South Equatorial Current where it bifurcated at Cape Sao Roque and flows along the eastern coast of South America.

*Leeuwin Current

The Leeuwin Current is a warm ocean Current which flows southwards near the western coast of Australia.

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Those currents which flows from Pole towards Equatorial region are called Cold currents. Major cold currents are:

In the Northern Hemisphere-

*Labrador current

It originates in the Baffin bay and pass through Davis Strait between West Greenland and Baffin island and then flows along the coastal water of NewFoundland and merges with the Gulf Stream. It usually brings large icebergs.

East Greenland current

It flows between Iceland and Greenland and cools the Irminger Current of North Atlantic drift.

*canary current

It flows along the western coast of north Africa between Maderia and Cape Verde

*Oyashio current

This current flows through the Bering Strait in southerly direction

*California current

it moves south along the western coast of North America,

In the Southern Hemisphere-

*South Atlantic drift

It flows under the influence of westerlies and is also known as Antarctic drift

*Humboldt current or Peruvian currents

It flows along the western coast of South America from south to north.

*Falkland Current

The cold water of Antarctic Sea flows in the form of Falkland Current from south to north along the eastern coast of South America up to Argentina. This current also brings numerous icebergs.

*Benguela Current

It flows from the South to North along the Western coast of Africa. It is a part of South Atlantic drift which turns northward due to obstruction caused by the southern tip of Africa.

*West Australian current

It is a part of the west wind drift of Southern Hemisphere. it flows along the western coast of Australia

There is one more major current which is known as counter equatorial current which flows between the North and South equatorial current in eastward direction.