A warm current is ... The main characteristics of the currents. The most famous warm currents

The warm current is the Gulf Stream, El Nino, Kuroshio. What other currents exist? Why are they called warm? Read more about this.

Where do the currents come from?

Streams are called directed streams of water masses. They can have different widths and depths - from a few meters to hundreds of kilometers. Their speed can reach up to 9 km / h. The direction of water flow determines the strength of the rotation of our planet. Thanks to it, in the southern hemisphere currents deviate to the right, and in the north - to the left.

The formation and nature of currents is affected by many conditions. The cause of their appearance can be the wind, tidal forces of the Moon and the Sun, different density and temperature, water level of the World Ocean. Most often, several factors contribute to the formation of currents.

There is a neutral, cold and warm current in the ocean. They are defined as such not because of the temperature of their own water masses, but because of the difference with the temperature of the surrounding waters. This means that the current can be warm, even if its waters are considered cold in many respects. For example, the Gulf Stream is warm, although its temperature varies from 4 to 6 degrees, and the temperature of the cold Benguela Current is up to 20 degrees.

A warm current is that which is formed around the equator. They are formed in warm waters, and are sent to colder ones. In turn, the cold currents move toward the equator. Neutral flows are called, which do not differ in temperature from the surrounding waters.

Warm currents

The currents affect the climate of coastal areas. Warm water flows warm the ocean waters. They contribute to a mild climate, increased air humidity and a large amount of precipitation. On the banks, near which warm waters flow, forests form. There are such warm currents of the World Ocean:

The Pacific Ocean Basin

• East Australian.
• Alaskan.
• Kuroshio.
• El Niño.

Indian Ocean Basin

• Agulyas.

The Atlantic Ocean Basin

• Irminger.
• Brazilian.
• Guianese.
• The Gulf Stream.
• North Atlantic.

The Arctic Ocean Basin

• West Spitsbergen.
• Norwegian.
• West Greenlandic.

Gulf Stream

The warm Atlantic flow, one of the largest in the Northern Hemisphere - the Gulf Stream. It begins in the Gulf of Mexico, on the Florida Strait enters the Atlantic Ocean and moves in a northeasterly direction.

The current carries a lot of floating algae and various fish. Its width reaches up to 90 kilometers, and the temperature equals 4-6 degrees of heat. The waters of the Gulf Stream have a bluish tint, contrasting with the surrounding greenish ocean water. It is not homogeneous, and consists of several jets that can be separated from the total flow.

Gulf Stream - the current is warm. Meeting with the cold Labrador Current in the Newfoundland area, it contributes to the frequent formation of fogs on the coast. In the heart of the North Atlantic, the Gulf Stream flows divide, forming the Canary and North Atlantic currents.

El Niño

A warm current is also El Niño - the most powerful current. It is not constant and occurs every few years. Its appearance is accompanied by a sharp increase in water temperature in the surface layers of the ocean. But this is not the only sign of the El Niño current.

Other warm currents of the World Ocean can hardly compare with the power of influence of this "baby" (so the name of the current is translated). Together with warm waters, the current brings with it heavy winds and hurricanes, fires, droughts, long rains. Residents of coastal areas suffer from the damage caused by El Niño. Flooded huge areas, which leads to the death of the crop and livestock.

The current is formed in the Pacific Ocean, in its equatorial part. It stretches along the coast of Peru and Chile, replacing the cold current of Humboldt. During the appearance of El Niño, fishermen suffer as well. Its warm waters are held back by the cold (which are rich in plankton) and do not allow them to rise to the surface. In this case, the fish does not sail to these areas to feed, leaving fishermen without a catch.

Kuroshio

In the Pacific, another warm current is the Kuroshio. It flows near the eastern and southern shores of Japan. Often the current is defined as the continuation of the Northern Trade wind. The main reason for its formation is the difference in levels between the ocean and the East China Sea.

Flowing between the straits of the island of Ryukyu, Kuroshio becomes the North Pacific Current, which goes to Alaska off the coast of America.

It has similar features to the Gulf Stream. It forms a whole system of warm currents in the Pacific, as well as the Gulf Stream in the Atlantic. Due to this, Kuroshio is an important climate-forming factor, alleviating the climate of coastal areas. The current also has a strong influence on the water area, being an important hydrobiological factor.

The waters of the Japanese current are characterized by a dark blue color, hence the name Kuroshio, which translates as "black current" or "dark water". The width of the current reaches 170 kilometers, and its depth is about 700 meters. The speed of Kuroshio ranges from 1 to 6 km / h. The water temperature of the current is 25 -28 degrees in the south and about 15 degrees in the north.

Conclusion

The formation of currents is affected by many factors, and sometimes their totality. Warm is called a current whose temperature exceeds the temperature of the surrounding waters. In this case, the water in the flow can be quite cold. The most famous warm currents are the Gulf Stream, flowing in the Atlantic Ocean, and the Pacific currents of Kuroshio and El Niño. The latter arises periodically, bringing with it a chain of environmental disasters.