Feb 25, 2025 · Surface currents. Large-scale surface ocean currents are driven by global wind systems that are fueled by energy from the sun. These currents transfer heat from the tropics to the polar regions, influencing local and global climate.

Distinctive white lines trace the flow of surface currents around the world. An ocean current is a continuous, directed movement of seawater generated by a number of forces acting upon the water, including wind, the Coriolis effect, breaking waves, cabbeling, and temperature and salinity differences. [1] .

Surface currents in the ocean are driven by global wind systems that are fueled by energy from the Sun. Patterns of surface currents are determined by wind direction, Coriolis forces from the Earth’s rotation, and the position of landforms that interact with the currents.

Oct 19, 2023 · Ocean currents flow like vast rivers, sweeping along predictable paths. Some ocean currents flow at the surface; others flow deep within water. Some currents flow for short distances; others cross entire ocean basins and even circle the globe.

Feb 28, 2025 · Ocean current, stream made up of horizontal and vertical components of the circulation system of ocean waters that is produced by gravity, wind friction, and water density variation in different parts of the ocean.

Surface ocean currents are driven by consistent wind patterns that persist throughout time over the entire globe, such as the jet stream. These wind patterns (convection cells) are created by radiation from the Sun beating down on Earth and generating heat.

Currents Tutorial Atmospheric circulation and the Coriolis effect create global wind patterns including the trade winds and westerlies. Click the image for a larger view.

Ocean currents refer to the steady movement or flow of surface ocean water in a prevailing direction. Various forces act upon ocean water, causing it to move. They include the wind, temperature, breaking waves and tides, and sometimes underground forces like earthquakes.

Currents driven by thermohaline circulation occur at both deep and shallow ocean levels and move much slower than tidal or surface currents. The Currents Tutorial is an overview of the types of currents, what causes them, how they are measured, and how they affect people's lives.

Surface currents are created by three things: global wind patterns, the rotation of the Earth, and the shape of the ocean basins. Surface currents are extremely important because they distribute heat around the planet and are a major factor influencing climate around the globe. Winds on Earth are either global or local.