1. Welcome; learn the OceanCurrentsPacific Ocean,Atlantic Ocean&Indian Ocean

2. OCEAN CURRENTSWORLD 3. Currents in the pacific oceanThere are two Equatorial currents in thePacific Ocean. One in the north of theequator and the other south of the equator 4. Pacific ocean currents The north equatorial current starts fromthe west coast of central America andflows towards the east coast of Asia.After reaching the Philippine islands,itturns north ward and moves along theeast coast of Philippines,Taiwan andJapan. This is the Kuroshio current. 5. Pacific ocean currentsAs it reaches the south east coast of Japan,thecurrents come under the influence of theWesterlies and flows across the north pacificocean from west to east as the north pacificcurrent. It reaches the cost of the BritishColumbia (North America) and divides into twocurrents. One branch turns north and flowsalong the coasts of Canada and Alaska. Thecurrent is called British Columbian current. It iswarm compared with the temperature of the seain this region. 6. Pacific ocean currentsThe second branch of the North Pacificcurrent flows southwards along the westcoast of north America, as the Californiacurrent, and eventually , and mergeswith equatorial current. As the Californiacurrent is comparatively cooler than thesea through which it flows, it isconsidered to be a cold current. 7. Pacific ocean currentsA cold current called Oyashio flowsalong the shores of Kamchatkapeninsula. The cold Okhotsk currentflows along Sakhalin coast andmerges with the Oyashio in the seanear Hokkaido. 8. Pacific ocean currentsThe south equatorial current startssouth of the equator off the north westcoast of south America. Flowing fromeast to west, it approaches the northeast tip of Australia and the Guineaisland. Here, it bifurcates and the mainbranch turns southwards. It flows alongeast coast of Australia as the warm eastAustralian current. 9. Pacific ocean currentsNear Tasmania it meets the south Pacific currentwhich flows from west to east across the southpacific ocean. This current turns north at thesouthern tip of south America, and flows along thewest coast of south America and the cold Peruvian(Humboldt) current and finally merges with the southequatorial current.Between the two equatorial currents, a counterequatorial current flows from west to east. Thiscounter current is caused by accumulation of waterin the western part of the ocean brought by the twoequatorial currents. 10. CURRENTS IN THE ATLANTICThere are two equatorial currents in theAtlantic ocean. The north equatorialcurrent, which starts off the west coast ofequatorial Africa, is driven to towards thenorth-east cost of south America by thetrade winds. South of the equator, thesouth equatorial current begins to flowfrom the west African coast towards southAmerica. 11. CURRENTS IN THE ATLANTICIt bifurcates on approaching the north eastcorner of Brazil (Cape Sao Roque). Onebranch flows along the north eastern cost ofsouth America and joins the north equatorialcurrent, which splits into two as it enters theCaribbean sea. The trade winds push onebranch into the Gulf of Mexico and raise thewater level in the gulf. In order to equalize thewater level of the gulf of Mexico and theAtlantic ocean a current flows out through theStrait of Florida. 12. CURRENTS IN THE ATLANTICThe second branch of the north equatorialcurrent passes along the eastern side of the WestIndies and joins the current that comes out ofthe Gulf of Mexico. The combined current turnsnorth and moves along the south-east coast ofUSA. From Cape of Florida up to Hatteras.This current is called Florida Current. 13. CURRENTS IN THE ATLANTICBeyond cape Hatteras, upto the GrandBanks of Newfoundland, this current isknown as the famous Gulf Stream.Driven by the westerlies, the gulfstream turns to the right and flowseastwards across the north Atlanticocean, as the north Atlantic drift. 14. CURRENTS IN THE ATLANTICAfter entering the eastern part of northAtlantic, it bifurcates, and the main branchcontinues its onward movements as far asthe British Isles, retaining the name of theNorth Atlantic drift. Ahead of British Isles,the current assumes the name Norwegiancurrent and enters the Arctic ocean afterflowing past Norway 15. CURRENTS IN THE ATLANTICThe second branch of the North AtlanticDrift flows south between Spain andAzores Archipelago(Group of islands)and ends up in the region where thenorth equatorial current begins. It isknown as the cold Canaries current. 16. CURRENTS IN THE ATLANTICFrom the Arctic ocean a cold current flowssouth along the west coast of green land.This current is known as the LabradorCurrent, meets the warm Gulf Stream in thesea near the islands of Newfoundland. Themixing of waters of the Gulf Stream with thecold Arctic waters of the Labrador currentoften leaves to the formation of fogs whichenvelope the sea for hours together. 17. CURRENTS IN THE ATLANTICThese fogs present navigational hazards toshipping owing to the presence of icebergswhich are carried down by the Labradorcurrent. But the meeting of warm and coldcurrents provides ideal conditions tofacilitate the growth of many verities offish. The Grant Banks of Newfoundland isone of the world's most important fishingbanks. 18. CURRENTS IN THE ATLANTICWe noted earlier, that the south equatorialcurrent bifurcates near the north-east Braziliancoast.One of the two branches joins the northequatorial current and the other one movessouth along the coast of Brazil. This current hasbeen given the name of that country. The warmBrazil current goes south and ultimately joinsthe south Atlantic current which flows from westto east. 19. CURRENTS IN THE ATLANTICWhen the south Atlantic current reachesthe southern tip of Africa, it sends an off-shootnorthwards along the west coast ofsouthern Africa. It is the cold Benguelacurrent and it ends up in the south equatorialcurrent.A counter equatorial current flows alongthe equatorial region of the Atlanticbetween the two equatorial current 20. CURRENTS IN THE INDIAN OCEANIn the Indian Ocean, especially in thenorthern part ,winds play a dominantrole in controlling the Ocean currents. Acomplete seasonal reversal of thecurrent direction is effected by themonsoon winds in the northern part ofthe Ocean 21. CURRENTS IN THE INDIAN OCEANIn winter the North and South equatorialcurrents flow in the Indian Ocean from eastto west. A counter equatorial current flowsbetween the two equatorial currents fromwest to east. The North East Monsoonwinds drive the north equatorial currentalong the Bay of Bengal cost of India andalso along the coasts of lands lying aroundthe Arabian sea. 22. CURRENTS IN THE INDIAN OCEANIn summer, a strong monsooncurrent sets in from west under theinfluence of south west monsoonwinds. This current completelywipes out both the north equatorialand the counter equatorial currents. 23. CURRENTS IN THE INDIAN OCEANIn the southern Indian Ocean the generalpattern of the currents is like of the Pacificand Atlantic ocean. The south equatorialcurrent, fed by the branch of the southequatorial current of the Pacific Ocean anddriven by the trade winds flowing from eastto west turn southwards after reaching theeast cost of Africa. It then flows south alongthe Mozambiquecoast and through the Mozambique channel,bearing the name Mozambique warmcurrent. 24. CURRENTS IN THE INDIAN OCEANIt proceeds further southwards and getsstrengthened by the branch of the southequatorial current flowing past the eastcost of Island of Madagascar. Along thesouth eastern cost of Africa thecombined current is called theAguilhaus current. It pushes on as awarm current and merges with the westwind drift. 25. CURRENTS IN THE INDIAN OCEANThe west wind drift flowing in the belt ofBrave west winds also called RoaringForties across the southern ocean fromwest to east, reaches the south westerncorner of Australia. At this point it sendsone of its branches northwards along thewest cost of Australia as a cold current. Thiscurrent called the west Australian currentflows northward and joins the southequatorial current. 26. Prepared byJEYANTHY.RH.S.A.(SS)GMMGHSSPALAKKAD