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Ocean Surface Circulation Motion in the Ocean, Part I, or Why does the ocean have currents, and why do they move in circles? Two types of Ocean Circulation: Surface Circulation -- Wind-driven Deep Circulation -- Density (T,S) driven Atmospheric Circulation Temperature and Pressure As the Earth’s surface is heated, air is warmed, expands and rises (Low P) Warm air carries water vapor In the upper atmosphere the air cools and sinks (High P) Surface winds blow from High P to Low P This round-trip is called a “cell” Things get interesting! On a rotating planet, moving objects appear to be deflected Why is this? Coriolis Deflection Apparent force due to Earth’s rotation Deflection in path of motion when viewed from a rotating reference frame Gustave-Gaspard Coriolis (1835) Familiar from merry-go-rounds Significant only for large distances (not toilets and billiards!) animation Coriolis Deflection Consequences of Coriolis Moving fluids (atmosphere and ocean) turn to the right in the Northern Hemisphere Moving fluids (atmosphere and ocean) turn to the left in the Southern Hemisphere Global Wind Circulation Wind-Driven Ocean Circulation Steady winds produce waves and set the surface water in motion Moving water is deflected to the right (N.Hemisphere) or left (S.Hemisphere) This starts the main “gyre” motion of the surface ocean Surface Ocean Circulation Main Features Five large gyres Antarctic Circumpolar Current Equatorial Countercurrent Velocities vary -- fastest are meters/sec 106 m3/sec (Sverdrup) = all the rivers Gulf Stream - Benj Franklin 1760s Sailing times to and from Europe Gulf Stream from satellite So, do the gyres just follow the winds? Not exactly! But the winds get the motion in the ocean started The oceans respond by flowing and turning Water piles up in the center of gyres -- several meters high Global Wind Circulation Geostrophic Currents Coriolis deflection plus the Pressure Gradient steers the currents around the gyres Northern Hemisphere Gyres westward intensification Surface Circulation Ekman Transport -- moves water 90° to the winds Upwelling and Oregon’s Ocean Winter winds from the south -downwelling Summer winds from the north -upwelling Winter Summer Oregon’s Summer Equatorial Divergence Equatorial Divergence Antarctic Circulation How do we track ocean circulation? Fixed Buoys -- measure current speed and direction Drifters -- travel with the currents and transmit their location Beach Swap Meets! Tracking Currents: The Story of the Lost Nikes 1: 60,000 shoes spilled, May 1990 2-8: 1990-’91 9: 1993 10: 1994 Marine Debris: Pacific Trash