Ocean current
hideAn ocean current is a continuous, directed movement of ocean water generated by the forces acting upon the water, such as the Earth's rotation, wind, temperature, salinity differences and tides caused by the gravitational pull of the Moon and the Sun. Depth contours, shoreline configurations and interaction with other currents influence a current's direction and strength.
Ocean currents can flow for thousands of kilometers, and together they create the great flow of the global conveyor belt which plays a dominant part in determining the climate of many of the Earth’s regions. Perhaps the most striking example is the Gulf Stream, which makes northwest Europe much more temperate than any other region at the same latitude. Another example is the Hawaiian Islands, where the climate is cooler (sub-tropical) than the tropical latitudes in which they are located, because of the effect of the California Current.
For more information about Ocean current, read the full article at
Wikipedia.
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News tagged with ocean currents
Science adopts a new definition of seawater
Space & Earth / Earth Sciences
Jul 20, 2009 |
3 / 5 (1) |
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The world's peak ocean science body has adopted a new definition of seawater developed by Australian, German and US scientists to make climate projections more accurate.
Sea Salt Holds Clues to Climate Change
Space & Earth / Earth Sciences
May 01, 2009 |
4.5 / 5 (20) |
3
(PhysOrg.com) -- We know that average sea levels have risen over the past century, and that global warming is to blame. But what is climate change doing to the saltiness, or salinity, of our oceans?
'Ocean glider' home after two-month voyage
Space & Earth / Earth Sciences
Apr 16, 2009 |
4.7 / 5 (3) |
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Scientists are celebrating the first successful deployment and retrieval in Australia of a remotely controlled, deep ocean-going robotic submarine destined to play a central role in measuring changes in two ...
Lobster Traps Going High Tech
Mar 09, 2009 |
5 / 5 (1) |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- New England lobstermen have gone high tech by adding low-cost instruments to their lobster pots that record bottom temperature and provide data that could help improve ocean circulation models ...
Turning the tide to energy
Mar 06, 2009 |
3.5 / 5 (19) |
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NASA researchers who developed a new way to power robotic underwater vehicles believe a spin-off technology could help convert ocean energy into electrical energy on a much larger scale. The researchers hope ...
Tiny plants with a global impact - results of climate change experiment published
Jan 28, 2009 |
4 / 5 (10) |
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A possible solution to global warming may be further away than ever, according to a new report published in the prestigious scientific journal Nature this week.
Gas From the Past Gives Scientists New Insights into Climate and the Oceans
Space & Earth / Earth Sciences
Oct 03, 2008 |
3.7 / 5 (17) |
2
(PhysOrg.com) -- In recent years, public discussion of climate change has included concerns that increased levels of carbon dioxide will contribute to global warming, which in turn may change the circulation ...
