Ocean Circulation

Chapter 5: Ocean Circulation

As this figure shows,

there is a connection
between the
prevailing easterly
and westerly winds
(discussed in Chapter
8) and the ocean’s
surface currents. The
prevailing easterlies
and westerlies push
the surface waters of
the oceans around in
big circles, called
gyres.
 Surface Currents

Surface currents are driven by

winds, particularly the
prevailing easterlies and
westerlies.

But the wind direction is not

the only force at work
controlling the surface
currents. The forces of gravity
and the Coriolis effect work
along with the wind to create in
a circular pattern of surface
current flow.
Water moves clockwise in the
Northern Hemisphere gyres
and counterclockwise in the
Southern Hemisphere gyres.
 Surface Current Gyres
Gyres can be further
subdivided into distinct
currents. For example, the
four interconnected
currents in the North
Atlantic Gyre shown here
are the:
- North Equatorial Current
- Gulf Stream
- North Atlantic Current
- Canary Current

Each of these currents has

different flow
characteristics and
temperatures.
 So why Gyres?
• Why do they flow in Gyres instead of
cyclonal?
• Why does water down to 200 m+, flow?
• What is the Ekman Spiral?
 Flow Within Gyres

The interaction between

wind and Coriolis causes
the bulk of water transport
to be in a direction
perpendicular to wind
direction.
This is known as the
Ekman transport. Water
movement due to air goes
to specific depths called
Ekman depth and is
depicted using an Ekman
spiral.
 Flow Within Gyres

Movement at a certain depth

of the spiral moves opposite
to the original direction of
motion. That is the
FRICTION DEPTH.

Ekman transport is one of

the major influences on
current circulation (gyres) in
the oceans.

The other major influence is

continents.
 Flow Within Gyres

Remember, there is a net

flow of surface water to
the right of the wind in the
Northern Hemisphere,
and to the left of the wind
in the Southern
Hemisphere.

This net movement of

water is at a right angle to
the wind direction and is
called EKMAN
TRANSPORT.
 Flow Within Gyres

The effect of Ekman

Transport is that water
flows in great circular
paths around the outer
edges of the ocean basins,
forming five great current
gyres.
 World Surface Current Gyres

Notice the pattern of the world’s surface current gyres: clockwise flow in the
Northern Hemisphere; counterclockwise flow in the Southern Hemisphere.
 Currents Within Gyres
Although a gyre represents a single continuous flow of water, it is
useful to divide up a gyre into several currents that have different
properties.

Western boundary currents - Flow toward the poles on the west sides
of ocean basins.

The Gulf Stream in the North Atlantic, and the Kuroshio Current (or
Japan Current) in the North Pacific, are examples of western boundary
currents .

Eastern boundary currents - Flow toward the equator on the east

sides of ocean basins.

The Canary Current in the North Atlantic, and the California Current in
the North Pacific, are examples of eastern boundary currents.
 Currents Within Gyres
Differences between western and eastern boundary currents.

Western boundary currents tend to be narrow, deep, and swift.

Eastern boundary currents tend to be wide, shallow, and slow.

Sv = Sverdrup = 106 m3/s (0.001 km3/s)

 Why western intensification?
• Mainly due to gravity.
• Water is piled up by wind current
convergence from both sides of equator and
has to flow down the slope.
• Coriolis turns it pole-ward because gravity
forbids it from flowing upstream.
 Currents Within Gyres

Water flow in the Gulf Stream (a western boundary current)

and the Canary Current (an eastern boundary current), both of
which are part of the North Atlantic gyre. Another kind is the
transverse current.
More about Currents. Transverse.
Eddy Formation.
Langmuir cells (windrows).
More about Currents.
Countercurrents.
More about Currents.
Undercurrents.
 Surface Currents and Climate

Surface currents exert important controls on climate. For example,

the cool California current (in blue) controls the weather on the
west coast of North America, while the warm Gulf Stream (in red)
controls the weather on the east coast.
 Upwelling and Downwelling
We have been discussing the horizontal flow of surface water. But in some
circumstances vertical movements of water can result from horizontal
flows.

Wind induced vertical circulation is vertical movement induced by wind-

driven horizontal movement of water. Two types of vertical movement
occur:

• Upwelling is the upward motion of water. This motion brings cold,

nutrient rich water towards the surface, which is important for marine
organisms, particularly plants and phytoplankton, which are the base of the
marine food chain.

• Downwelling is downward motion of water. It supplies the deeper ocean

with dissolved gases, also important for marine life.
 Upwelling and Downwelling

Recall that Ekman Transport

causes surface water to move
to the right of the wind in the
Northern Hemisphere, and to
the left of the wind in the
Southern Hemisphere .

This figure illustrates how

upwelling or downwelling
would occur along a coastline
in the Northern Hemisphere,
depending on wind direction.
 El Niño

Normal Conditions El Niño Conditions

Normally, strong trade winds In an El Niño year, the trade

push warm equatorial waters
across the Pacific, resulting
in storms and high rainfall
on the west side of the
Pacific, and cold upwelling
on the east side.
winds diminish or reverse. This
allows the warm equatorial
water to flow back east,
resulting in more storms and
rain in the eastern Pacific, and
reduced amounts of upwelling.
 Deep Ocean Circulation
The movement of water due to different densities is called
thermohaline circulation. The term refers to the two main ways
that ocean water density may vary:

Temperature (“thermo”) - cold water is denser than warm water.

Salinity (“haline”) - saltier water is denser than less salty water.

The ocean is density stratified, with the densest water at the bottom.
There are five common water masses:

 Surface water
 Central water
 Intermediate water
 Deep water
 Bottom water
 The Temperature-Salinity Diagram
A general temperature-
salinity (T-S) diagram.

The diagram shows how the

density of water varies with
temperature and salinity. The
curving lines represent lines
of constant density.

Notice that density goes up

when:
- temperature goes down
- salinity goes up

What is Caballing?
 Thermohaline Circulation

A model of thermohaline circulation caused by water becoming heated

near the equator and cooling off near the poles. Cold water near the
poles sinks, and warm water near the equator rises, creating a great
cycle of movement.
Thermohaline Circulation
Thermohaline Circulation
 Thermohaline Circulation

This cross-section through the Atlantic from north (left) to south (right)
shows thermohaline flow. Note that the pattern is more complex than
the simple model shown in the previous slide.
Thermohaline Circulation
Thermohaline Circulation
Mediterranean.
Mediterranean.
Do you have any questions?