1. Ocean Currents
Chapter 16.1

2. Ocean Currents
Masses of ocean water that flow from one place to another.

3. Currents
Two types of ocean currents:
Surface currents
Deep currents

4. Surface Currents
Currents that ONLY move horizontally in the UPPER part of the Oceans surface
Develop from friction between the ocean and the wind that blows across the surface.

5. Color your surface current map using the Key on your Surface Current Map! BLUE = Cold Current RED = Warm Current

6. Global Winds Create Currents Draw and Label a Global Winds Diagram according to this diagram.

7. Gyres
Huge circular-moving current systems that are driven by the global winds.
5 main gyres!

8. Gyre Plastic Pollution

9. What if this was YOUR home?

10. Locate the 5 main Gyres on your surface current map
Locate the 5 main Gyres on your surface current map. Label the Gyres on your map

11. Why?
Great Britain and Alaska are at similar latitudes, yet Great Britain is about 25 degrees warmer than Alaska…

12. Ocean Currents and Climate
Gulf Stream is a great example of bringing warmth to a high latitude.
It brings heat from the equator region to areas more North and South

13. Deep Currents VERTICAL (up and down) currents of ocean water
Caused by differences in
water density
Dense water SINKS
LESS dense water RISES

14. Deep Currents A result of temperature or salinity changes temp = sinks
density