1. The Kuroshio Current Fast moving warm water current Analogous to the gulf stream Also known as the Black Stream after its deep blue water.

2. Path of the Kuroshio Current The Pacific North Equatorial Current branches to feed the Equatorial Counter Current and the Kuroshio Current. Warm water from low latitudes is driven by the trade winds along the equator and deflected along the western boundry of Taiwan and the Northwestern Boundry of Japan The Kurishio then divides into two legs the Kurishio Extension (or the main stream) and the Tsushima Current.

3. Features of the Kuroshio Current Travels at a speed of about 7 km per hour Can have a width of up to 100 km Can transport water at a rate of 50 million tons per second.

4. Biological Importance Transports warm waters that sustain the coral reefs of Japan. Where the Kuroshio meets the cold nutrient rich Oyashio Current there is an explosive phytoplankton bloom that drives a rich fishery.

5. References http://www.jamstec.go.jp/jamstec- e/earth/index.html Annual and Interannual Variability in the Kuroshio Current System. Keisuke Mizuno and Warren B. White. Oct 1983 Taiwan Current (Kuroshio) and Impinging Eddies. Yih Yang, et al. Journal of Oceanography, Vol. 55, pp. 609 to 617. 1999