What are the 2 main types of currents that make up ocean circulation and what are the driving forces behind each one? How else do they differ?

The figure below depicts the sea surface temperature (SST) in the Atlantic Ocean in June.

Use the figure to answer the following questions (#2- #5).

2) What is the name of the current that appears in dark red and runs along the east coast of the US? What direction is it flowing along the US coast? (from ____ to____)? What is the approximate temperature of the current in this image, in degrees C?

3) Indicated in the upper part of the figure above, the island off the coast of Canada is Newfoundland. At about the same latitude is Bordeaux, France. Based on the images below of what each place looks like in the summertime, you'd clearly pack a little lighter for your summer vacation if you were going to Bordeaux rather than Newfoundland! What does this have to do with ocean currents?

4) What is the approximate temperature of the water north of Newfoundland, along the northern coast of Canada (in °C)? Would it be more or less dense than the water in the rest of the North Atlantic?

5) Given its temperature and characteristics, what would happen to the water around Newfoundland? Where would it go/ how would it continue to move and/or circulate?

6) Take note of how the warmest SSTalong California compares to the warmest SST off the coast of Florida in the previous figure above. How do the 2 compare?

7) What is the name of the current along the coast of California? Name and briefly describe at least 2ways it's different from the current you identified off the east coast of the US.

8) What is the temperature of the nearshore water that appears purple off central and northern California, in °C? What process is responsible for making this coastal water so cold, and what implications does this have for the local marine life?

Transcribed Image Text:

GFDL CM 2.6 Ocean Simulation Sea Surface Temperature June 21 NEWFOUNDLAND 2 BORDEAUX 33C NORA GFDL CM 2.6 Ocean Simulation Sea Surface Temperature June 21 NEWFOUNDLAND 2 BORDEAUX 33C NORA

Answer rating: 100% (QA)

Answer 1 The two main types of ocean currents are surface currents and deep ocean currents Surface currents are driven primarily by winds and are affected by the rotation of the Earth The wind creates ... View the full answer