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What is a warm and cold current. Warm and cold currents

Floriculture

Many know about Golf Stream, which, carrying huge masses of water from equatorial latitudes to polar, literally warms the north of Western Europe and Scandinavia. But few people know that there are other warm and cold flow of the Atlantic Ocean. How do they affect the climate of coastal areas? This will tell our article. In fact, a lot of currents in the Atlantic. Briefly list them for general development. This is Western Greenland, Angolan, Antilles, Bengelskoe, Guinean, Lomonosov, Brazilian, Guiangskoye, Azores, Golfstream, Irminger, Canary, East Icelandic, Labrador, Portuguese, North Atlantic, Florida, Falkland, North Equatorial, South Commercial, and Equatorial counterchange . Not all of them have a great influence on the climate. Some of them are generally part or fragments of the main, larger currents. That's what they are talking about our article.

Why flows are formed

In the World Ocean, the circulation of large invisible "rivers without shores" is constantly underway. Water is generally very dynamic element. But with rivers everything is clear: they flow from the source to the mouth due to the difference in altitudes between these points. But what makes the huge masses of water within the ocean? Of the many reasons, two are the main: trade-wind wind and changes in atmospheric pressure. Because of this flow, divided into drift and bar designates. The first are formed by trade winds - continuing in the same winds. Most such trends. Mighty rivers put in the sea a large amount of water other than marine density and temperature. Such flows are called stock, gravitational and friction. It should take into account the greater length from the north to the south, which has the Atlantic Ocean. The flows in this water area therefore have more meridional than the latitudinal direction.

What is Passat

The wind is the main reason for the movement of vast masses of water in the world ocean. But what is the trade winds? The answer should be sought in the equatorial areas. There, the air warms up more than in other latitudes. It rises up and on the upper layers of the troposphere spreads towards two poles. But already on the latitude of 30 degrees, thoroughly cooled, it goes down. Thus, a circulation of air masses is created. In the region of the equator, a low pressure zone occurs, and in tropical latitudes - high. And here manifests itself the rotation of the earth around the axis. If it were not for it, the trade winds would blow from the tropics of both hemispheres to the equator. But, since our planet rotates, the wind deviates, acquiring the Western direction. So the Passats form the main flow of the Atlantic Ocean. In the northern hemisphere, they move clockwise, and in South - against. This is because in the first case, the Passats blow from the northeast, and in the second - from the southeast.

Impact on climate

Based on the fact that the main flows are born in the equatorial and tropical regions, it would be reasonable to assume that they are all warm. But this is not always happening. The warm flow in the Atlantic Ocean, reaching the polar latitudes, does not fade, but, making a smooth circle, reversed, but it is already pretty cooling. This can be observed on the example of Golf Stream. It carries warm masses of water from Sargassov Sea to the north of Europe. Then, under the action of rotation of the Earth, he deviates to the West. Under the name of the Labrador current, he descends along the shore of the North American continent south, cooling the seaside regions of Canada. It should be said that with warm and cold, these mass of water are conditionally called relative to the ambient temperature. For example, in the North County in winter, the temperature is only +2 ° C, and in the summer - maximum +8 ° C. But it is called warm, as water in the Barents Sea is even colder.

The main flow of the Atlantic in the northern hemisphere

Here, of course, it is impossible not to mention Golf Stream. But the other flows passing through the Atlantic Ocean have an important impact on the climate of nearby territories. Green Cape (Africa) is born by the Northeast Passat. He drives huge warming masses to the west. Crossing the Atlantic Ocean, they are connected to the Antilles and Guiancondes. This enhanced jet moves to the Caribbean Sea. After this water rushed to the north. This continuous movement clockwise is called the warm North Atlantic flow. The edge of it in high latitudes is indefinite, blurred, and the equator is clearer.

Mysterious "Bay Current" (Golf-Stream)

It is so called the current of the Atlantic Ocean, without which Scandinavia and Iceland would turn, on the basis of their proximity to the pole, to the edge of eternal snow. Previously, they thought Golf Stream was born in the Gulf of Mexico. Hence the name. In fact, only a small part of the golfustrium follows from the Gulf of Mexico. The main flow comes from Sargasso Sea. What is the mysteriousness of Golf Stream? In the fact that he, despite the rotation of the Earth, does not flow from the West to the East, but in the opposite direction. Its power exceeds the drain of all the planet rivers. The speed of the golfustrium is impressive - two and a half meters per second on the surface. Currently traced at a depth of 800 meters. And the width of the flow is 110-120 kilometers. Due to the high flow rate, water from equatorial latitudes do not have time to cool. The surface layer has a temperature of +25 degrees, which, of course plays a primary role in the formation of the climate of Western Europe. The Gulf Stream Mystery consists also in the fact that it does not wash the mainland anywhere. Between it and the shore there is always a strip of cold water.

Atlantic Ocean: the currents of the southern hemisphere

From the African continent to the American Passat drives a jet, which, due to low pressure in the Equatorial region, begins to deviate to the south. So begins a similar northern cycle. However, the southern trade house is moving counterclockwise. It also passes through the entire Atlantic Ocean. The flow of Guiangie, Brazilian (warm), Falkland, Bengelsk (Cold) are part of this cycle.

Rivers in the midst of the ocean

Oceanic or marine currents are called large-scale movements of the water masses of the world ocean at a speed of from 1 to 9 km / h. These flows are moving not chaotic, but in a certain direction and the direction, which is the main reason why they are sometimes called ocean rivers: the width of the largest currents can be several hundred kilometers, and the length is not one thousand.

It is established that water flows are moving not directly, but deviating a little to the side, they obey the power of Coriolis. In the northern hemisphere, almost always move clockwise, in South - on the contrary. At the same time, the flows in tropical latitudes (they are called equatorial or trade in), move mainly from the east to the west. The strongest trends were fixed along the eastern shores of the continents.



Water flows circulate not by themselves, and there are enough factors in motion - the wind, the rotation of the planet around its axis, the gravitational fields of the Earth and the Moon, the relief of the bottom, the outlines of the continents and the islands, the difference in the temperature indicators of water, its density, depths in various Ocean places and even its physico-chemical composition.

Of all the types of water flows, the superficial flows of the oceans are most pronounced, the depth of which is often somewhat hundreds of meters. Their emergence was influenced by foreign trade winds, constantly moving in tropical latitudes in the Western Eastern direction. These trade winds form huge flows of northern and southern equatorial flows near the equator. A smaller part of these threads is returned to the east, forging the counterchange (when the movement of water occurs in the opposite direction from the air mass movement). Most, facing the mainland and the islands, turns into the northern or south side.

Warm and cold water flows

It must be borne in mind that the concepts of "cold" or "warm" flows are conditional definitions. So, despite the fact that the temperature indicators of the aqueous flows of the Bennel flow, which flows along the cape of good hope, is 20 ° C, it is considered cold. But the Nordskap the current, which is one of the golfustrum branches, with temperature indicators from 4 to 6 ° C, is warm.

This happens because cold, warm and neutral flows received their names based on the comparison of the temperature of its water with the temperature indicators of the ocean surrounding them:

  • If the temperature indicators of the aqueous stream coincide with the temperature of its ambient water, such a course is called neutral;
  • If the flow of flows below the environment, they are called cold. Usually they flow from high latitudes to low (for example, Labrador current), or from areas, where, due to the large flow of rivers, oceanic water has a reduced salty of surface water;
  • If the flow temperature is warmer than their water, they are called warm. They move from tropical in the amateur latitudes, such as Gulf Stream.

Basic water flows

At the moment, scientists recorded about fifteen main ocean water flows in a quiet, fourteen - in the Atlantic, seven - in Indian and four - in the Arctic Ocean.

Interestingly, all the currents of the Arctic Ocean move at the same speed - 50 cm / s, three of them, namely Western Greenland, West Svalbergen and Norwegian, are warm, and only the East Greenland refers to cold flow.


But almost all the ocean flows of the Indian Ocean belong to warm or neutral, while the monsoon, Somali, West Australian and the course of the needle cape (cold) move at a speed of 70 cm / s., The velocity of the rest varies from 25 to 75 cm / s. Water flows of this ocean are interesting to the fact that together with seasonal monsoon winds, which twice the year change their direction, ocean rivers also change their move: in winter they will mostly flow to the West, in the summer - to the east (phenomenon characteristic only for the Indian Ocean ).

Since the Atlantic Ocean stretches from north to south, its flows also have a meridional direction. Water streams located in the north are moving clockwise, in the south - against it.

A bright example of the flow of the Atlantic Ocean is Golf Stream, which started in the Caribbean Sea, carries warm water to the north, decaying along the road to several side streams. When Golf Stream Water turns out to be in the Barents Sea, they fall into the Northern Arctic Ocean, where they are cooled and turn to the south in the form of a cold Greenland flow, after which at some stage are deviated to the West and again adjoin the gulfstrum, forming a closed circle.

The streams of the Pacific Ocean are mainly a latitudinal direction and form two huge circles: North and South. Since the Pacific Ocean is extremely large, it is not surprising that its aqueous streams have a significant impact on most of our planet.

For example, trade-stone water flows are distilled with warm water from Western tropical shores to the eastern, which is why in the tropical zone, the western part of the Pacific Ocean is much warmer than the opposite side. But in moderate latitudes of the Pacific Ocean, on the contrary, the temperature is higher in the east.

Deep flows

Quite a long time, scientists believed that the deep ocean waters were almost stationary. But soon, special underwater devices found at great depths both slowly and fast aqueous water streams.


For example, under the equatorial course of the Pacific Ocean at a depth of about a hundred meters, scientists identified the underwater flow of Cromwell moving in the eastern direction at a speed of 112 km / day.

Such a movement of water flows, but already in the Atlantic Ocean, found Soviet scientists: the flow width of Lomonosov is about 322 km, and the maximum speed of 90 km / day was recorded at a depth of about a hundred meters. After that, another underwater stream in the Indian Ocean was discovered, however, it turned out to be much lower - about 45 km / day.

The opening of these flows in the ocean served as a reason for the emergence of new theories and mysteries, the main of which is the question - why they appeared, as formed, and whether the Ocean's area is covered or there is a point where water is fixed.

The effect of the ocean on the life of the planet

The role of ocean flows in the life of our planet is difficult to overestimate, since the movement of water flows directly affects the climate of the planet, weather, marine organisms. Many compare the ocean with a huge heat machine, which leads to solar energy. This machine creates an inconspicuous water exchange between the surface and depth layers of the ocean, providing it dissolved in water oxygen and affecting the life of marine inhabitants.


This process can be traced, for example, considering the Peruvian current, which is located in the Pacific. Thanks to the rise of deep waters, which rise to the top of phosphorus and nitrogen, animal and vegetable plankton successfully develop on the ocean surface, as a result of which the food chain is organized. Plankton eats a small fish, she, in turn, becomes a victim of larger fish, birds, marine mammals, which, with such food, are abundant here, making the region by one of the most highly productive areas of the World Ocean.

It also happens that the cold flow becomes warm: the average ambient temperature rises by several degrees, which is why warm tropical livne is shedding to the ground, which, being in the ocean, ride fish, accustomed to cold temperatures. The result is deplorable - in the ocean it turns out a huge number of dead shallow fish, a large fish leaves, fisheries stops, birds leave their nesting. As a result, the local population is deprived of fish, harvest, which broke the shower, and profits from the sale of Guano (bird litter) as a fertilizer. For the restoration of the former ecosystem, several years can often go.

Where do flows come from?

The causes of the occurrence of aqueous flows can be a sharp change in water temperature due to heating, or, on the contrary, cooling. Also affects different density, for example, in a place where several streams (marine and oceanic), precipitation, evaporation facing. But mostly cold and warm current arise due to the action of winds. Therefore, the direction of the largest oceanic water streams depends mainly on the air flow of the planet.

Trends formed under the influence of winds

An example of constantly blowing winds are trade winds. They start their lives from 30 latitudes. The flows that are created by these air masses are called tradeat. Eliminate the southern trade house and the Northern Passatown. In a moderate belt, such aqueous streams are formed under the action of Western winds. They form one of the largest flows of the planet. In the north and southern hemispheres there are two cycle of water flow: cyclonal and anticyclonal. Their formation is influenced by the inertial force of the Earth.

Varieties of flows

Mixed, neutral, cold and warm flows are varieties of circulating masses on the planet. When the flow temperature of the stream below the ambient temperature is a cold current. If, on the contrary, it is a warm variety. Neutral flows do not differ from the temperature of the surrounding waters. And mixed can change throughout the entire length. It is worth noting that there is no constant temperature indicator of flows. This figure is very relative. It is determined when comparing the surrounding water masses.

In tropical latitudes, warm currents are circulated along the eastern outskirts of the mainland. Cold - along the western. In moderate latitudes, warm currents pass along the Western shores, and the cold - on the east. It is possible to determine the species on another factor. So, there is a more easy rule: cold flows go to the equator, and warm - from him.

Value

It is worth talking about it in more detail. Cold and warm current plays an important role on the planet Earth. The significance of aqueous circulating masses is that due to their movement there is a redistribution of solar heat on the planet. Warm currents increase the air temperature of the nearest territories, and cold - it is lowered. Forming on water, water flows have a serious effect on the mainland parts. In areas where warm currents are constantly underway, the climate is wet, where cold - on the contrary, dry. Oceanic flows also contribute to the migration of the oceans ichthyofauna. The plankton moves under their impact, and it migrates and fish.

You can cite examples of warm and cold flows. Let's start with the first variety. The largest are such water flows: Golf Stream, Norwegian, North Atlantic, North and South Passatoe, Brazilian, Kurosio, Madagascar and others. The coldest flow of the oceans: Somali, Labrador, California.

Large currents

The biggest warm flow of the planet is Golf Stream. This is a meridional circulating stream that transfers 75 million tons of water every second. Golf Stream width - from 70 to 90 km. Thanks to him, Europe gets a comfortable mild climate. It follows from this that the cold and warm current is largely affected by the lives of all living organisms on the planet.

From zonal, cold watercourses, the highest value is the flow of Western winds. In the southern hemisphere, not far from the coast of Antarctica, there are no island or mainland clusters. A large plot of planet is completely filled with water. Indian, quiet and Atlantic Oceans, connecting to a separate huge reservoir come here. Some scientists recognize its existence and are called southern. It is here that the largest flow of water is formed - the flow of Western winds. Every second it transfers the flow of water, which is three times more golfstrum.

Canary Current: Warm or Cold?

Currents can change its temperature. For example, the stream begins with cold masses. Then he warms up and becomes warm. One of the options for such a circulating aqueous mass is the Canary Current. It takes its beginning in the northeast of the Atlantic Ocean. Heads a cold stream along the Pyrenean Peninsula in Europe. Passing along the western coast of Africa, becomes warm. This flow has long been used by navigators for traveling.

The answer was left Guru

Ocean currents
Atlantic Ocean
Northern Passatom Current Warm ..................... (SPTT)

Golf Stream is warm .............................. (GTT)

Antillest flow warm ............................... (ATT)

Northern Atlantic Current Warm ............... (Satt)

Caribbean flow is warm .................................. (MAND)

Lomonosov is warm ................................. (TLT)

Guinean flow warm ................................. (GWT)

Brazilian flow warm ............................... (Bratt)

Canary Cold Cold ........................ .... (Kanth)

Labrador Cold Cold ..................... (LabTX)

Bengal Cold Cold ........................ (Benth)

Falkland Cold Cold .................. ... (Fallh)

The flow of western winds is cold .................. .. (T30)

Indian Ocean

Mussers are warm ................................. ... (TMT)

South-Possed Current Warm ........................ (YUTTT)

Madagascar flow of warm ................................... .. (MADTT)

Somali Cold Somali ........................ (Somth)

The flow of Western winds is cold ..................... (T30)

Pacific Ocean

Northern Pacific Warmland ............. (STTT)

Alaskan flow warm ................................. (ATT)

Currosio is warm ....................................... (TKT)

Interpassate antifursement is warm ................ (MPRT)

South-Pull Current Warm ......................... (YUTTT)

Cromwell flow, warm .................................... (TKT)

Eastern Australian flow warm ............ (Watt)

California Cold Cold ..................... (Calth)

Peruvian Cold Cold ........................... (Perrth)

The flow of Western winds is cold ............. ...... .. (TZVH)

Arctic Ocean

Spitsbergen for the warm ........................ .. (STT)

Norwegian flow is warm ............................ ... ((NTT)

Eastern Greenland Cold Cold ......... (VGTH)
Notes: 1. In the Pacific Ocean less flows than in the Atlantic Ocean.

(15 currents in the Atlantic, 10- in quiet, 5- in Indian and 3- in North. Total: 33 currents.

Of these: 22 - warm, 11-cold).

2. The flow of Western winds cold (TWIs) covers three oceans.

3. The South-Passive Current Current (YUTTT) also takes on three oceans.

4. Interpassate antimets Warm (MPRT) are located in two large oceans:

in a quiet and atlantic.

5. Northern currents are warm (Atlantic and Pacific) - are available in two oceans.

6. In the Atlantic Ocean: 10 warm currents, 5-cold.

In the Pacific Ocean: 7 Warm, 3-Cold.

In the Indian Ocean: 3-warm, 2-cold.

In the Northern Ocean: 2-warm, 1-cold.

The answer was left the guest

Northern Passing Current Warm Gulf Stream Current Warm Current Current Northern Atlantic Current Warm Caribbean Current Emission Interpassate Antiform Warm South-Pull Current Current Current Lomonosova Warm Guinea Current Warm Cold Cold Cold Cold Cold Labrador Cold Bengal Cold Falkland Cold Flow Cold Flow Warm South-Passive Current Warm Madagascar Current Cold Somali Cold Cold Cold Cold Cold Cold Cold Northern Pacific Cold Cold Alaskan Current Current Curpose Currosio Warm Interpassate Antiform Warm Southern Purge Current Warm Curve Cell Current, Warm Eastern Australian Cold California Cold Peruvian Cold Cold Cold Flow Cold Warm Norwegian Flow Warm East Greenland Cold Cold

The fastest and cold course of the South Hemisphere of the Earth

New deepwater flow

The new deep-water flow was open to oceanologist scientists. This course of its formation is obliged to melting glaciers, which has recently been only intensified. It transfers cold waters from the coast of Antarctica to the most equatorial latitudes - just so told the world Japanese and Australian scientists, publishing the results of their research in the journal Nature Geoscience.

According to scientists, thaia glacial water falls into the Sea of \u200b\u200bRoss and keeps its course east to underwater plateau Kergelena, located 3000 km south-west of the Australian continent. Then the water is literally thrown into the ocean with a rapid flow. This, relatively small and narrow stream, whose width is no more than 50 km, originated at a depth of 3 km. Its temperature is almost 0 degrees, and if more precisely - 0.2 OC.

Flow rate of 700 meters per hour

Scientists looked at this flow for almost two years and found out that it was able to transfer 30 million cubic meters of water for only one second, that is, its speed is no less than 700 m / h. The other, the same cold and fast flow, which is in the Southern Ocean has not yet been found.

To identify and explore such flows is very difficult. In addition to the time spent, researchers needed 30 impressive automatic stations that had to be placed along the entire estimated flow, and then regularly collect and handle the readings of these stations, analyzing literally everything. After a two-year stay of the devices at the seabed, the specialists removed them and again carefully compared and studied all the instruments.

Currents like planet health indicator

This discovery, as representatives of science say, helps us explore the mechanism of interaction of melting glaciers and the waters of the World Ocean, which is still largely a mystery to people, and it is also better to understand how to react the world ocean to an increasing concentration in the carbon dioxide atmosphere.

It is worth noting that the most powerful warm current of the world's ocean is Gulf Stream, and the most powerful flow in the world is considered the flow of Western winds (West Wind Drift).

Victoria Fabyshki, samogo.net

Warm and cold currents

Sea currents (oceanic flows) are the progressive movements of the mass of water in the seas and oceans, due to various forces (the action of friction force between water and air, pressure gradients arising in water, faded forces of the moon and the sun). In the direction of marine currents, the rotation of the Earth has a great influence, rejecting flows in the northern hemisphere to the right, in the southern - left.

Sea currents are caused by either friction of wind about the surface of the sea (wind flows), or an uneven temperature distribution and water salinity (density flows) or a level inclination (stock trends). By the nature of variability there are constant, temporary and periodic (tidal origin), by location - surface, subsurface, intermediate, deep and bottom. In physical and chemical properties - desalinated and salty.

Warm and cold sea currents

These currents have a water temperature, respectively, higher or lower than the ambient temperature. Warm flows are directed from low latitudes in high (for example, golfustrim), cold - from high to low (Labradorsky). The flows with the temperature of the surrounding waters are called neutral.

The flow temperature is considered relative to the surrounding waters. Warmweight water temperature for several degrees is higher than the ambient ocean water. Cold flow - on the contrary. Warm flows are usually directed from warmer latitudes in colder, cold - on the contrary. You already know the flows significantly affect the climate of coarse. Thus, warm currents increase the air temperature by 3-5 0 and increase the amount of precipitation. Cold flows reduce the temperature and reduce the amount of precipitation.

In geographical maps, warm currents are shown in red arrows, cold - blue.

Gulfstream is one of the largest warm flows of the northern hemisphere. It passes through the Mexican Bay (eng. Gulf Stream - the flow of the bay) and carries the warm tropical water of the Atlantic Ocean to high latitudes. This gigantic flow of warm waters largely determines the climate of Europe, making it soft and warm. Each second, Golf Stream transfers 75 million tons of water (for comparison: Amazon, the very largest river in the world - 220 thousand tons of water). At a depth of about 1 km, the golphustrium is observed by countercase.

We note another course in the Atlantic - north-Atlantic. It passes through the ocean east, to Europe. The north-Atlantic flow compared to the golfustrim is less powerful. Water consumption here is from 20 to 40 million binders per second, and the speed from 0.5 to 1.8 km / h, depending on the place.
However, the influence of the north-Atlantic flow to the climate of Europe is very noticeable. Together with the Golfustrim and other currents (Norwegian, Northskap, Murmansk), the north-Atlantic flow softens the climate of Europe and the temperature regime of its seas. Such an impact on the climate of Europe is only one warm flow of Golf Stream cannot be provided: after all, the existence of this flow ends thousands of kilometers from the banks of Europe.

In the Pacific Ocean off the coast of South America there is a cold Peruvian current. Air masses formed above its cold waters are not saturated with moisture and do not bring precipitation to land. As a result, on the coast for several years there is no precipitation, which led to the occurrence of the Atakam desert there.

The most powerful flow of the world's ocean is the cold flow of Western winds, also called Antarctic Circumpolar (from Lat. Cirkum - around). The cause of its formation is the strong and stable Western winds, which are east from west to east on the huge spaces of the southern hemisphere from moderate latitudes to the coast of Antarctica. This course covers a zone of 2500 km wide, it extends to a depth of more than 1 km and tolerates every second to 200 million tons of water. On the path of the flow of Western winds, there are no large arrays of sushi, and it connects three oceans in its circular flow of water - quiet, Atlantic and Indian.

Marine (oceanic) or simply flows call the translational movements of the aquatic masses in the oceans and seas at distances measured by hundreds and thousands of kilometers, due to various forces (gravitational, friction, plumming).

In oceanological scientific literature, there are several classifications of marine currents. According to one of them, flows can be classified according to the following features (Fig. 1.1.):

1. By the forces, which cause them, i.e. by origin (genetic classification);

2. By stability (variability);

3. At depth of location;

4. By the nature of the movement;

5. In physical and chemical properties.

The main is a genetic classification in which three groups of currents are distinguished.

1. In the first group of genetic classification - gradient flows due to horizontal gradients of hydrostatic pressure. The following gradient flows distinguish:

· Density density due to a horizontal gradient (uneven temperature distribution and water salinity, and, consequently, horizontal densities);

· Compensation, due to the tilt of the sea level, resulting from wind;

· Barogradient, due to unevenness of atmospheric pressure above sea level;

· Stock, formed due to excess water in any area of \u200b\u200bthe sea, as a result of river water influx, abundant precipitation or melting of ice;

· Seycherea, emerging during the seeshic fluctuations of the sea (water oscillations of the entire pool as a whole).

The flows that exist in equilibrium of the horizontal gradient of the hydrostatic pressure and the forces of the Coriolis are called geostrophic.

The second group of gradient classification includes flows caused by the action of wind. They are divided into:

· Drift are created by durable, or dominant, winds. These include the trade houses of all oceans and the circumpolar flow in the southern hemisphere (the flow of Western winds);

· Window, due not only to the action of wind direction, as well as the inclination of the surface surface and the redistribution of water density caused by the wind.

The third group of classification gradients includes tidal flows caused by tidal phenomena. These flows are most noticeable off the coast, in shallow water, in the mouths of the rivers. They are the strongest.

As a rule, in the oceans and seas there are total flows due to the cumulative action of several forces. The flows that exist after the termination of the forces that caused the movement of water are called inertial. Under the action of friction forces, inertial flows are gradually faded.

2. According to the nature of stability, variability is distinguished periodic and non-periodic (stable and unstable) flows. The flow changes occur with a certain period are called periodic. These include tidal flows, changing mainly with a period of approximately half of the day (half-day tidal flows) or days (daily tidal flows).

Fig. 1.1. Classification of World Ocean Tours

The changes whose changes are not a clear periodic nature, is customary to be called non-periodic. With its origin, they are obliged to random, unexpected reasons (for example, the passage of cyclone over the sea causes non-periodic wind and barking flows).

There are no constant flows in the strict sense of the word in the oceans and the seas. There are relatively few changing flows towards and velocity for the season - this is monsoon, for the year - trade house. The flow that does not change in time is called the installed, which varies in time - unsteady.

3. At the depths of the location, surface, depth and bottom flows are distinguished. Surface flows are observed in the so-called navigation layer (from the surface to 10 - 15 m), the bottom - at the bottom, and the deep - between the surface and the bottom currents. The speed of the surface currents is highest in the uppermost layer. It is deeper. The deep water moves much slower, and the speed of moving the bottom waters is 3 - 5 cm / s. The speed of the flows of unequal in different parts of the ocean.

4. According to the nature of the movement, meandering, straight, cyclonic and anticyclonic flows are isolated. Meandering call the currents that are moving not straightforwardly, and form horizontal wave-like bends - Meandra. Due to the instability of the flow, Meandra can be separated from the flow and form independently existing vortices. Straight flows are characterized by moving water to relatively direct lines. Circular flows form closed circles. If the movement in them is directed counterclockwise, it is cyclonic flows, and if the anticyclonic (for the northern hemisphere) is clockwise.

5. By the nature of physicochemical properties, warm, cold, neutral, salty and collapsions (division of flows for these properties to a certain extent conditionally) are distinguished. To assess the indicated flow characteristic, it is compared of its temperature (salinity) with a temperature (salinity) of the surrounding water. So, warm (cold) is the flow of water temperature in which above (below) the ambient temperature. For example, the deep flow of atlantic origin in the Arctic Ocean has a temperature of about 2 ° C, but refers to warm currents, and the Peruvian flow of the Western shores of South America, having a water temperature of about 22 ° C, refers to cold currents.

The main characteristics of the seabed: speed and direction. The latter is determined by the inverse method compared with the method of wind direction, i.e., in the case of the course, it is indicated where water flows, whereas in the case of the wind indicates where it blows. The vertical movements of the mass of water in the study of marine currents are usually not taken into account, since they are not great.

In the World Ocean, there is a single, interrelated system of basic stable flows (Fig. 1.2.), Causing the transfer and interaction of water. This system is called oceanic circulation.

The main force leading to the movement of the ocean surface waters is the wind. Therefore, surface trends should be considered with predominant winds.

Within the southern periphery of oceanic anticyclones of the northern hemisphere and the northern periphery of anticyclones of the southern hemisphere (the centers of anticyclones are located at 30 - 35 ° Northern and southern latitude) there is a system of trade winds, under the influence of sustainable powerful surface trends aimed at West (Northern and South Passatoes flow). Meeting the eastern shores of the continents on their path, these flows create an increase in the level and turn into high latitudes (Guiangskoye, Brazilian and others). In moderate latitudes (about 40 °), Western winds prevail, which increases the flows going to the east (North-Atlantic, North-Pacific, etc.). In the eastern parts of the oceans between 40 and 20 ° North and southern current, the flow are directed towards the equator (Canary, California, Bengele, Peruvian, etc.).

Thus, to the north and south of the equator in the oceans, sustainable water circulation systems are formed, which are gigantic anticyclonic cycles. So, in the Atlantic Ocean, the northern anticyclonic cycle extends from the south to north from 5 to 50 ° of northern latitude and from east west from 8 to 80 ° Western longitude. The center of this cycle is shifted relative to the center of the Azores Anticyclone to the West, which is explained by the increase in the Coriolis force with breadth. This leads to the intensification of currents in the western parts of the oceans, creating conditions for the formation of such powerful trends, such as Gulf Stream in the Atlantic and Kurosio in the Pacific Ocean.

A peculiar section between the Northern and South Trading Cards is an interpassate counterchange that bears its waters to the East.

In the northern part of the Indian Ocean, the Indian Outstanding Indian Peninsula and the Extensive Asian Mainland create favorable conditions for the development of monsoon circulation. In November - March here is observed in the northeast monsoon, and in May - September - Southwest. In connection with this, the reasons of the north of 8 ° south latitude have a seasonal course, following the seasonal course of atmospheric circulation. In winter, an Western monsoon current is observed in the equator and north of it, that is, during this season, the direction of surface flows in the northern part of the Indian Ocean corresponds to the direction of flows in other oceans. At the same time, in the zone separating monsoon and trade-stone winds (3-8 ° of southern latitude), the surface equatorial countercover is developing. In the summer, the Western monsoon flow is replaced by the eastern, and the equatorial counterchange is weak and unstable currents.

Fig. 1.2.

In moderate latitudes (45 - 65 °) in the northern part of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans there is a circulation counterclockwise. However, due to the instability of atmospheric circulation in these current latitudes are also characterized by small stability. In the 40 - 50 ° band of southern latitude, the Atlantic circumpolar flow is directed to the east, called the course of Western winds.

The coast of Antarctica flows have mainly the west direction and form a narrow strip of coastal circulation along the banks of the mainland.

The north-Atlantic flow penetrates the Northern Ocean pool in the form of the branches of Norwegian, Nordskapsky and Svalbagergent currents. In the Arctic Ocean, surface trends are directed from the shores of Asia through the pole to the eastern shores of Greenland. This nature of the flows is caused by the predominance of oriental winds and the compensation of the inflow in the deep layers of the Atlantic Waters.

In the ocean, divergence and convergence zones are distinguished, characterized by the discrepancy and convergence of surface streams. In the first case, there is a rise in water, in the second - their lowering. The convergence zones (for example, Antarctic convergence by 50-60 ° of southern latitude) are more clearly distinguished from the specified zones.

Consider the peculiarities of the circulation of water of individual oceans and the characteristics of the main flows of the oceans (Table).

In the northern and southern parts of the Atlantic Ocean in the surface layer there are closed circulation of flows with centers near 30 ° north and southern latitude. (About the cycle in the northern part of the ocean will be said in the next chapter).

Main flows of the World Ocean

Name

TemperatureGradation

Sustainability

Average speed, cm / s

Northern Passatoe

Neutral

Sustainable

Mindao

Neutral

Sustainable

Very sustainable

North-Pacific

Neutral

Sustainable

Sustainable

Aleutian

Neutral

Unstable

Kurilo-Kamchatsky

Cold

Sustainable

California

Cold

Unstable

Interpassate resistance

Neutral

Sustainable

South Passatoe

Neutral

Sustainable

East Australian

Sustainable

South Pacific

Neutral

Unstable

Peruvian

Cold

Weakly sustainable

El Niño

Weakly sustainable

Antarctic circumpolar

Neutral

Sustainable

Indian

South Passatoe

Neutral

Sustainable

Needle Cape

Very sustainable

West Australian

Cold

Unstable

Antarctic circumpolar

Neutral

Sustainable

Northern

Arctic

Norwegian

Sustainable

West Spitsbergenskoye

Sustainable

East Greenland

Cold

Sustainable

West Greenland

Sustainable

Atlantic

Northern Passatoe

Neutral

Sustainable

Golfstream

Very sustainable

North Atlantic

Very sustainable

Canary

Cold

Sustainable

Irminger

Sustainable

Labrador

Cold

Sustainable

Interpassate countercover

Neutral

Sustainable

South Passatoe

Neutral

Sustainable

Brazilian

Sustainable

Bengelskoe

Cold

Sustainable

Falkland

Cold

Sustainable

Antarctic circumpolar

Neutral

Sustainable

In the southern part of the ocean, the warm Brazilian flow carries out the transfer of water (speed up to 0.5 m / s) far to the south, and the Bengelege flow reeling from the powerful flow of Western winds closes the main circulation in the southern part of the Atlantic Ocean and brings cold water to the shores of Africa.

Cold waters of the Falkland flow penetrate the Atlantic, Ohibaya Cape Horn and joining between the shore and the Brazilian course.

A feature in circulation of water surface layer of the Atlantic Ocean is the presence of an subsurface equatorial countercover of Lomonosov, which moves along the equator from the west to the east under a relatively thin layer of the southern trade-mortage (depth of 50 to 300 m) at a speed of up to 1 - 1.5 m / s. The current is steadily in the direction and exists in all seasons of the year.

Geographical position, climatic features, water circulation systems and good water exchange with antarctic waters causes the hydrological conditions of the Indian Ocean.

In the northern part of the Indian Ocean, in contrast to other oceans, the monsoon circulation of the atmosphere causes a seasonal change of surface currents of the north of 8 ° southern latitude. In winter, there is a western monsoon flow at a speed of 1 - 1.5 m / s. This season is developing (in the area of \u200b\u200bthe section of the monsoon and southern trade-off flows), the equatorial counterfeit disappears.

Compared to other oceans in the Indian Ocean area of \u200b\u200bthe dominant southeastern winds, under the influence of which the Southern Passatown Current occurs, is shifted to the south, therefore it moves from east to west (speed 0.5 - 0.8 m / s) between 10 and 20 ° south latitude. At the coast of Madagascar, the southern trade house is divided. One of its branches goes to the north along the shores of Africa to the Equator, where it turns to the east and in the winter period gives the beginning of an equatorial anti-counterfeit. In the summer, the northern branch of the southern trade-end flow, moving along the shores of Africa, gives the beginning of the Somali flow. Another branch of the southern trade in the coast of Africa turns to the south and, called the Mozambic current, moves along the shores of Africa to the southwest, where his branch gives rise to the course of the needle cape. Most of the Mozambique current turns to the East and joins the flow of Western winds, from which the Western-Australian coast of Australia is bothering the Western Australian flow, the closure of the southern Indian Ocean.

A slight influx of the arctic and intake of antarctic cold waters, the geographical position and the flow system determine the features of the hydrological regime of the Pacific.

A characteristic feature of the overall scheme of the surface flows of the Pacific Ocean is the presence of large cycles of water in the northern and southern parts of it.

In the trade station, under the influence of constant winds, the southern and northern trade-end flows occur from the east to the west. Between them from the west to the east, the equatorial (interpassate) antimony with rates of 0.5 - 1 m / s is moved.

The Northern Passing During the Philippine Islands is divided into several branches. One of them turns to the south, then to the east and gives rise to the equatorial (interpassatny) anti-countercase. The main branch should go to the north along the island of Taiwan (Tywan), then turns to the northeast and, called Kurosio, runs along the eastern shores of Japan (speed to 1 - 1.5 m / s) to Cape Nodzima (Honshu Island). Next, it deviates to the east and crosses the ocean as the North-Pacific current. The characteristic feature of the flow of Kurosio, like Golf Stream, is the Mineralization and shift of its axis to the south, then north. At the shores of North America, the North-Pacific flow splits into a California, directed to the south and closing the main cyclonic circulation of the northern part of the Pacific Ocean, and the Alaskan flow coming to the north.

Cold Kamchatka current is born in the Bering Sea and flows along the shores of Kamchatka, the Kuril Islands (Curil for), the shores of Japan, pressing the east of Kurosio.

The southern trade house is moving to the West (speed 0.5 - 0.8 m / s) with numerous branches. The coast of New Guinea has a part of the flow turns to the north, and then east and together with the southern branch of the Northern Passage flow gives the beginning of the equatorial (interpassatny) anti-cross-section. Most of the southern trade-end flow deviates, forming the East Australian flow, which is then poured into the powerful flow of Western winds, from which the cold peruvian flow of a circulation in the southern half of the Pacific Ocean takes place off the coast of South America.

In the summer period of the southern hemisphere, the Peruvian flow from the equatorial countercurrent moves to the south to 1 to 2 ° of southern latitudes, the warm current of El Niño, penetrating in some years to 14 - 15 ° of southern latitude. Such an invasion of warm water El Niño in the southern areas of the coast of Peru leads to catastrophic consequences due to increasing water and air temperature (strong shower, fish, epidemic).

A characteristic feature in the distribution of the flow of the surface layer of the ocean is the presence of an equatorial subsurface countercurring - Cromwell flow. It crosses the ocean along the equator from the west to the east at a depth of 30 to 300m at a speed of up to 1.5 m / s. The flow covers a bandwidth from 2 ° northern latitude up to 2 ° of southern latitude.

The most characteristic feature of the Arctic Ocean is that during the round year its surface is covered with floating ice. Low temperature and salinity of water favors ice formation. Coastal waters only in the summer, within two to four months, free from ice. In the central part of the Arctic, severe perennial ice (Pack ice) are mainly observed with a thickness of more than 2 to 3 m, covered with numerous torus. In addition to perennials there are annual and two-year-old ice. Along the Arctic shores in winter is formed quite wide (dozens and hundreds of meters) the band turning. There are no ice only in the area of \u200b\u200bthe warm Norwegian, Nordskap and Spyzbengen currents.

Under the influence of winds and flows, ice in the Arctic Ocean is in constant motion.

On the surface of the Northern Ocean Ocean, well-pronounced areas of cyclonic and anti-cyclonic water cycle are observed.

Under the influence of the polar baric maximum in the prejucean part of the Arctic basin and the extent of the Icelandic minimum, the general transitational flow occurs. It carries out the overall movement of water from the east to the west throughout the polar water area. The transitical course originates from Bering Strait and goes to the Frama Strait (between Greenland and Svalbard). The Eastern Greenland current is continued. Between Alaska and Canada, an extensive anticyclonic cycle of water is observed. Cold Buffino Current is formed mainly due to the removal of the Arctic waters through the straits of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. The Labrador current is continued.

The average speed of water movement is about 15-20 cm / s.

Cyclonic, very intense cycle arises in the Norwegian and Greenland seas in the Adhesive part of the Arctic Ocean.

There is a powerful cold flow of Western winds, which forms a ring around Antarctica. Also on the direction of flows affects the situation, the outlines of their shores. In the depths of the flow are formed due to different density of water. More dense waters move toward less dense and create powerful streams at a depth. The direction of the Earth has a tremendous effect on the direction of marine currents. Ocean flows affect nature and. They redistribute cold and heat between latitudes, as well as gases and dissolved nutrients. Using the flows, animals and plants move, set up new territories. The Canary Current - the cold current of the Atlantic Ocean, moves from the north to south, richly the Pyrenean Peninsula and the North-West of Africa. The width of the Canary current - 400-600 km. Labrador current is the cold seaside flow in the north of the Atlantic Ocean. Mixed with the warm waters of the Gulf Stream, each spring transfers the icebergs from Greenland to the trans-Atlantic intersection. Bengal for the cold current of the Atlantic Ocean at the Western Coast of Africa. Falkland current is the cold current of the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of South America, the flow branch of the Western winds. Carries a lot of icebergs. The flow of Western winds is the most powerful cold current of the World Ocean, also called Antarctic. Crosses three oceans - Atlantic, Indian and quiet. This course covers the ground with a continuous ring, cold Bengelsk, West-Australian and Peruvian flows are born from it. Its length exceeds 30 thousand km, the average width is about 1000 km. The flow of Western winds penetrates almost to the bottom of the ocean to a depth of 4.5 km. The flow rate is on average 2 km / h. It is characterized by strong bends that occur under the influence of continental contours and the bottom relief. Antarctic circumpolar flow is a powerful source of energy, it forms cyclones and anticyclones that form the weather throughout the planet. Somali course - the cold current of the Indian Ocean, the eastern shores of the Somalia Peninsula in Africa. Caused by monsoon winds, changes its direction depending on the season. California Cold Cold Pacific. Passes along the coast of California. Peruvian current - the cold number of the Pacific Ocean, comes from the south to the north near the western coast of the South American mainland. Eastern Greenlandic is the cold course of the Arctic Ocean, which is held by the eastern shore of Greenland. The ice of the Arctic Basin and Icebergs in the summer months begins year-round.

The Atlantic Ocean, or Atlantic - the second largest (after the quiet) and the most developed among the other waters. From the east, it is limited to the coast of South and North America, from the West - Africa and Europe, in the north - Greenland, in the south merged with the Southern Ocean.

Distinctive features of the Atlantic: a small amount of islands, a difficult terrain and a strongly rugged coastline.

Characteristics of the ocean

Area: 91.66 million square meters, and 16% of the territory falls on the sea and bays.

Volume: 329.66 million square meters

Saltness: 35.

Depth: Average - 3736 m, the largest - 8742 m (Puerto Rico Groit).

Temperature: in the south and north - about 0 ° C, at the equator - 26-28 ° C.

Flow: Conditionally allocate 2 cyphans - the north (flows move clockwise) and the southern (counterclockwise). Course shares the equatorial interpassate counterchange.

The main flows of the Atlantic Ocean

Warm:

Northern Passatom -it begins at the western coast of Africa, crosses the ocean from the east to the West and occurs near Cuba with Gulf Stream.

Golfstream - The most powerful flow in the world that transfers 140 million cubic meters of water per second (for comparison: all rivers of the world carry only 1 million cubic meters of water per second). It is born near the banks of the Bahamas, where Florida and Antillese flows are found. United, they give rise to Golf Stream, which through the shed between Cuba and Florida P-Owl with a powerful stream to the Atlantic Ocean. Then the current moves to the north along the coast of the United States. Approximately near the coast of the state of North Carolina Golf Stream turns to the east and goes into the open ocean. Approximately 1500 km it meets with a cold Labrador flow, which slightly changes the Gulf Stream course and carries it to the northeast. Closer to Europe, the flow is divided into two branches: Azoreskyand the North Atlantic.

Only recently it became known that 2 km below the golfustrium flows the reverse flow, heading from Greenland to Sargassov Sea. This flow of icewater was called anti-tightened.

Northern Atlantic - Continuation of the Golfstrum, which is washes the Western Coast of Europe and brings heat of southern latitudes, providing a soft and warm climate.

Antilsk - It begins east of Puerto Rico Island, it flows to the north and near the Bahamas is poured into Gulf Stream. Speed \u200b\u200b- 1-1.9 km / h, water temperature 25-28 ° C.

Interpassate counter -the flow of an Equator's ground ball. In the Atlantic shares the Northern Passatown and South Trading Flow.

South-Passy (or South Equatorial) - goes through southern tropics. The average water temperature is 30 ° C. When the southern trade house reaches the shores of South America, it is divided into two sleeves: Caribbean, or Gwyanskoye (flowing north to the banks of Mexico) and Brazilian - Moves south along the shores of Brazil.

Guinean -located in the Gulf of Guinea. It flows from the West to the East, and then turns south. Together with Angolan and southern equatorial, the cyclic flow of the Guinean bay is formed.

Cool:

Lomonosov countercover -opened by the Soviet Expedition in 1959. It is born off the shores of Brazil and moves to the north. A 200 km width stream intersects the equator and flows into the Guinean Bay.

Canary - flowing from north to south, to the equator along the coast of Africa. This wide stream (up to 1 thousand km) near Madeira and the Canary Islands is found with Azores and Portuguese currents. Approximately around 15 ° C.Sh. Joins with equatorial countercase.

Labradorsky -starts in the Strait between Canada and Greenland. It turns south to Newfoundland Bank, where it meets with a golfustrim. Water flows carry cold from the north-ice ocean, and with the stream of south, huge icebergs are taken. In particular, Iceberg, who destroyed the famous "Titanic", was brought by Labrador.

Bengelskoe - It is born near the cape of good hope and moves along the coast of Africa to the north.

Falkland (or Malvinskoye)it takes off from the flow of Western winds and flows to the north along the east coast of South America to the Bay of La Plata. Temperature: 4-15 ° C.

The flow of western winds Singing the globe in the area of \u200b\u200b40-50 ° Yu.Sh. The flow moves from the west to the east. In the Atlantic from him bother Southern Atlantic flow.

Underwater World of Atlantic Ocean

The underwater world of the Atlantic is poorer in a variety than in the Pacific Ocean. This is due to the fact that the Atlantic Ocean has been frozen during the ice age. But the Atlantic is richer in the number of individuals of each species.

Flora and the submarine fauna are clearly distributed through climatic zones.

The plant world is represented mainly by algae and flowering plants (zoster, poseidonia, fucus). In northern latitudes, laminaria predominates, in moderate - red algae. All over the oceans at a depth of 100 m actively flourishes phytoplankton.

Fauna is characterized by the wealth of species. In the Atlantic, almost all types and classes of marine animals live. Fishing fish are especially valued herring, Sardin, Flovar. There is an active cattle and mollusk catch, the whaling fishery is limited.

The rain belt of the Atlantic affects its abundance. There are many corals and many amazing animal species: turtles, volatile fish, several dozen sharks.

For the first time, the name of the ocean is found in the works of Herodota (V c. BC), who calls him atlantis. And in I.N.E. Roman scientist Pliny Senior writes about extensive water stroit, which is named Oceanus Atlanticus. But the official name "Atlantic Ocean" has consolidated only by the XVII century.

In the history of studies of the Atlantic, 4 stages can be distinguished:

1. From antiquity to the XV century. The first documents in which the ocean is described are to the I millennium BC. Ancient Phoenicians, Egyptians, Cradans and Greeks knew the coastal zones of the water area well. Cards of those times with detailed depths are preserved, guidelines.

2. Time of great geographical discoveries (XV-XVII centuries). The development of the Atlantic continues, the ocean becomes one of the most important trading paths. In 1498, Vasco de Gama, having encouraged Africa, paved the way to India. 1493-1501. - Three sailing of Columbus to America. Bermud anomaly was revealed, many currents were discovered, detailed depth maps, coastal zones, temperatures, bottom relief were compiled.

Franklin's expeditions in 1770, I. Kruzenshtern and Yu. Lisyansky 1804-06.

3. The XIX-first half of the XX century is the beginning of scientific oceanographic studies. Chemistry, physics, biology, ocean geology are studied. A map of the flows is drawn up, research is carried out for laying underwater cable between Europe and America.

4. 1950s - our days. A comprehensive study of all components of oceanography is carried out. In priority: study of climate of different zones, identifying global atmospheric problems, ecology, mining, mining, ensuring the movement of vessels, extraction of seafood.

In the center of the Belisian Barrier Reef is a unique underwater cave - a large blue hole. Its depth is 120 meters, and at the bottom there is a whole gallery of smaller caves, interconnected by tunnels.

In the Atlantic there is the only sea in the world without the shores - Sargassovo. His borders are formed by ocean currents.

Here is one of the most mysterious places on the planet: Bermuda triangle. The Atlantic Ocean is also the birthplace of another myth (or reality?) - The mainland of Atlantis.