The Main Ocean Currents Of The World

CURRENT OF PACIFIC OCEAN:

The pattern of circulation in the pacific ocean is similar to that of the Atlantic ocean except in modifications which can be expected from the greater size and the more open nature of the pacific ocean.

North Equatorial Current

Properties- Hot and warm ocean current

Note:

1. It is a Pacific Ocean current that originates in the Mid-Americas and flows from east to west. The North Equatorial current is blown off the coast of the Philippines by the north-east trade winds.

Kuroshio Current

Properties- Hot and warm ocean current

Note:

1. The north equatorial current approaches Taiwan and northward through Japan after reaching the island of the Philippines. Kuroshio current is the name given to the current here.

North Pacific Current

Properties- Hot and warm ocean current

Note

1. After reaching the south-east coast of Japan, the Kuroshio current comes under the influence of the prevailing westerlies  and flows from west to east. Here it is known as North Pacific current.

California Current

Properties- Cold ocean current

Note:

1. The North Pacific Drift splits into two portions when it reaches the western coast of North America. One follows the western coast of North America to the north, while the other follows it to the south. California current is the name given to the southern flowing current.

Alaskan Current

Properties- Hot and warm ocean current

Note:

1. The current travels along British Columbia’s and Alaska’s coasts. The northern branch of the North Pacific current flows anti-clockwise along the coast of British Columbia and Alaska is known as the Alaska currents.

Oyashio Current

Properties- Cold ocean current

Note:

1. The current originates in the Bering Strait and flows from north to south near the Kamchatka peninsula’s eastern shore.

Okhotsk Current

Properties- Cold ocean current

Note:

1. The Okhotsk current, another chilly ocean current in the Northern Pacific, passes by Sakhalin on its way to Hokkaido’s Oyashio current. Whenever the warm Kuroshio current from the south and the cold Oyashio current from the north meet, a highly dense fog forms close to Japan’s shore.

South Equatorial Current

Properties- Hot and warm ocean current

Note:

1. From the east coast of Australia to the coast of Central America, it almost runs parallel to the equator.

East Australian current

Properties- Hot and warm ocean current

Note:

1. The East Australian current is formed when the south equatorial current, which is driven by the south-east trade wind, flows southwards down the Queensland coast and the coast of New Guinea under the influence of the Coriolis force.
2. It is a warm current which flows along the coast of Australia. Hence, it is known as the East Australian warm current.

South Pacific Oceanic Current

Properties- Hot and warm ocean current

Note:

1. South Pacific current is the name given to the east Australian current, which, when influenced by westerlies, turns eastward.

Humboldt or Peruvian Current

Properties- Cold ocean current

Note:

1. It is also known as Peruvian current. The west coast of South America is where it moves. The South Pacific current changes direction to flow northward when it approaches the south-western coast of South America, becoming the Peru current as it does so.

Equatorial Counter Current

Properties- Hot and warm ocean current

Note:

1. The Pacific Ocean gathers a large volume of water on both sides of the equator due to the north and south equatorial currents. As a result, the water levels in the ocean become unbalanced. Equatorial counter currents kick in to correct the imbalance. It flows from west to east.

CURRENTS OF INDIAN OCEAN:

• Due to its small size and complete landlocked northern location, this ocean’s currents differ significantly from those of the Pacific and Atlantic oceans.
• The ocean currents of the Indian ocean are slightly different from the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. Land and monsoon winds have a major impact on the Indian oceanic current. The direction of current flow changes twice in the Northern Indian ocean due to the North-East and South-West monsoon winds whereas Southern Indian ocean currents have a definite pattern.
• In the North Indian ocean, there is a complete reversal of the direction of currents during summer and winter, due to the changes of monsoon winds. In summer from June to October, when the dominant wind is the south-west monsoon, the currents are blown from south-western direction as the south-west monsoon drift. This is reversed in winters, beginning from December when the north-east Monsoon blows the currents from the north-east as the north-east Monsoon drift. The currents of the monsoon drift.
• As in the other oceans, the currents of the south Indian ocean form a circuit. The equatorial current, turning southwards, past Madagascar as the Agulhas or Mozambique current (cold current).

South Equatorial Current

Properties- Warm

Notes:

1. The south equatorial current runs parallel to the equator from east to west in the Indian Ocean, just like in other oceans.

Mozambique Current

Properties- Warm and stable ocean current

Note:

1. At Madagascar, the South Equatorial Current splits into two branches. One of them travels between the beaches of Madagascar and Mozambique through the Mozambique Channel.

Madagascar Current

Properties- Warm ocean current

Note:

1. The other branches of the south equatorial current flow along the east coast of Madagascar and is known as the Madagascar current.

Agulhas Current

Properties- Warm and stable ocean current

Note:

1. It’s a warm ocean current that runs through the South Indian Ocean. It is generated in such a way that a branch of the South Equatorial Indian Oceanic Current travels south along the south-east coast of Mozambique, forming the Mozambique current, which flows 30 degrees south and meets the branch of the South Equatorial current running east of Madagascar. 
2. Agulhas current is the result of combining the currents of these two branches. It runs all the way to the southernmost tip of Africa, where it combines with west wind drift before turning east.

Western Wind Drift

Properties- Cold current

Note:

1. A chilly stream called the west wind drift travels from west to east and reaches Australia’s southernmost point on the west coast.

West Australian Current:

Properties- Cold current

Note:

1. When the west wind drift reaches Australia, it splits into two branches. One of the branches, known as the West Australian current, travels north along Australia’s west coast. The South Indian Ocean’s counterclockwise round is ultimately completed when it merges with the south equatorial current.

Other Ocean Currents:

El Nino Current

Properties- Hot and warm ocean current

Tsushima Current

Properties- Hot and warm ocean current

Antarctica Current

Properties- Cold Ocean current

Irminger Current

Properties- Hot and warm ocean current

Rannell Current

Properties- Hot and warm ocean current

Caribbean Current

Properties- Warm ocean current

Guinea Coast Current

Properties- Warm ocean current

Somali Current

Properties- Warm ocean current