Ocean circulation is controlled by surface winds, by the rotation of the earth and by certain physical. Ocean currents, including the ocean conveyor belt, play a key role in determining how the ocean distributes heat energy throughout the planet, thereby regulating and stabilizing climate patterns. The movement of the ocean currents has an especially significant factor in the development of the planets climate. Excel file of all ocean data activities and how they correlate with ngss disciplinary core ideas, science practices, and cross cutting concepts. Circulation water movement in the ocean currents cohesive streams of sea water that circulate through the oceans.
Winds are able to move the top 400 meters of the ocean creating surface ocean currents. But those that move north and south act like conveyor belts, transporting warm water to the polar regions and carrying cooler water back toward the equator. Their paths are also controlled by the earth s rotation in the same way that winds in. Powered by create your own unique website with customizable templates.
The large heat transport of the thermohaline circulation makes it important for climate, and its nonlinear and potentially abrupt response to forcing have been invoked to explain abrupt glacial climate changes. Dec 18, 2012 this warm, low pressure water rises toward the poles in surface currents as the earth tries to move the heat around and balance things out. Enormous progress has been made in increasing our understanding of climate change and its causes, and a clearer picture of current and future impacts is emerging. This chapter describes the structure and dynamics of wbcs, their roles in basinscale circulation, regional variability, and their influence on atmosphere and climate. Effects of global warming on oceans provides information on the various effects that global warming has on oceans. Predict how ocean currents might be affected by modern climate change. It is the displaced water that affects the air, by warming or cooling it, thereby transferring the same effect to.
Climates in the distant past 20 climates of the recent past 28. Although 40 percent of earths population lives within, or near coastal regions the ocean impacts people everywhere. This unit introduces students to forces that force ocean currents, and allows students to explore what thermohaline and winddriven currents in the ocean look like and why. In section 1 it was noted that ocean currents can affect regional climate and the global surface distribution of temperature and salinity. Climate change and currents national ocean service. Jul 17, 2018 the movement of the ocean currents has an especially significant factor in the development of the planets climate. Apr 25, 2017 the ocean currents can flow for thousands of kilometers and create a global conveyer belt which is important in determining the climate of different regions of the earth. Ocean currents and climate home department of earth. Upon completion of video, students should begin to answer questions provided on the ocean currents worksheet. The major ocean streams or currents, of the world act as the heating and cooling ducts of the earth, transporting heat from the equator and taking it to the poles. Can you think of another factor that would affect currents near coasts. Climatic role of the ocean, wind and thermohaline forcing of global circulation. But for a long time, discussions of climate change did not take.
Climate climate circulation, currents, and oceanatmosphere interaction. Ocean motion a nasa website with scientific information, lessons, and impacts of ocean currents. Ocean and atmospheric circulation play an essential role in sustaining life by moderating climate over much of earths surface. Ocean currents are primarily horizontal water movements. Ocean currents affect the temperature by moving hot or cold water from one location to another. Ocean currents that have a northward or southward component, such as the warm gulf stream in the north atlantic or the cold peru humboldt current off south america, effectively exchange heat between low and high latitudes. Eastern boundary currents are often associated with what process.
Global warming can affect sea levels, coastlines, ocean acidification, ocean currents, seawater, sea surface temperatures, tides, the sea floor, weather, and trigger several changes in ocean biogeochemistry. Ocean surface currents have a major impact on regional climate around the world, bringing coastal fog to san francisco and comfortable temperatures to the british isles. Ocean and wind currents are formed by a process known as convection. Surface ocean currents, which occur on the open ocean, are driven by a complex global wind system. Correlate current direction and speed with global winds. Great ocean conveyor belt the great ocean conveyor belt is the name for a model of the large system of ocean currents that affects weather and climate by circulating thermal energy around earth. The gulf stream, for example, moves warm air from the gulf of mexico along the eastern coast of the u. Have students begin watching ocean currents internet video lesson, 10 minutes. Reveals how ocean currents transfer heat around the globe using the gulf stream as an example. Cool, more dense water from the poles moves in deep ocean currents toward the equator and a convective movement is created. Surface currents are mostly caused by the w ind because it creates friction as it moves over the water.
It would be much clearer if the pressures and geotrophic flow were used to explain the gyres. As air and water currents move from one area to another, they affect the general climate of the area they are moving into. Students should be taking no tes as they watch the video. But for a long time, discussions of climate change did not take the oceans fully into account, simply because very little was known about them. Ocean currents redistribute the absorbed solar energy.
How to make completely digitalthis product normally requires the printing of the questions to accompany a digital form for students to input answers. Formulate hypotheses about how regional parameters climate, primary productivity may change as a result of climatedriven change in ocean circulation. Bookmark file pdf pearson education currents and climate answer key rintoul is a southern ocean specialist, working at csiro wealth from oceans flagship hobart. In this model, high salinity water cools and sinks in the north atlantic, and deep water returns to the surface in the indian and pacific oceans. An important part of the circulation of heat and freshwater and other sea water constituents are ocean surface currents. Conclusion the historical records shows us that abrupt climate change is not only possibleit is the normal state of affairs.
Ocean currents are driven by tides, by wind and by variations in water density caused by variations in salinity and temperature. Ocean currents and sea surface temperature noaa climate. A national strategy to meet the challenges of a changing. If the earth did not rotate and remained stationary, the atmosphere would circulate between the poles high pressure areas and the equator a low pressure area in a simple backandforth pattern. This video segment uses databased visual noaa representations to trace the path of surface ocean currents around the globe and explore their role in creating climate zones. How climate is determined by ocean currents as the horizontal currents are moving south or northwards, they carry with them cool or warm water over an extended distance. Strong, persistent currents along the western boundaries of the worlds major ocean basins are called western boundary currents wbcs. Distribute the student handout before you begin for students to take notes on key information. Ocean currents and climate study guide ocean water the ocean water never stands still. This chapter describes the structure and dynamics of wbcs, their roles in basinscale circulation, regional variability, and their influence on. The role of ocean currents in arctic climate change educo2cean. Ocean currents and climate american institute of physics.
Today were going to learn about ocean currents slide 3 1. Pdf the role of the oceans in climate researchgate. Pacific, the western boundary current is the oyashio, which flows cold water equatorward on the western side of the ocean. Ocean currents are located at the ocean surface and in deep water below 300 meters 984 feet. The warmer ocean temperatures raise the air temperatures over land. Oceanatmosphere interactions the geographer online.
An ocean current is a regular movement of large amounts of water along defined paths. If the earth did not rotate and remained stationary, the atmosphere would circulate between the poles high pressure areas and the equator a low pressure area in a simple back and forth pattern. National research council, 2010b, limiting the magnitude of climate change national research council, 2010c, adapting to the impacts of climate change national research council, 2011d, informing an effective response to climate change national research council, 2010e, ocean acidification. Ocean currents and climate national geographic society. Unlike a greenhouse, earth has no impenetrable glass roof. Water mass a body of water identifiable from its temperature, salinity or chemical content.
The laws of climatic change 61 world ocean, sea currents and their role in. Formulate hypotheses about how regional parameters climate, primary productivity may change as a result of climate driven change in ocean circulation. In this section the focus is on surface currents and the threedimensional global ocean circulation. Upper water mass includes the wellmixed surface layers of the ocean and the thermocline. Ocean currents are like rivers that move within the ocean. Ocean currents are either on the surface of the ocean or in the deep waters below 300 meters. It is the displaced water that affects the air, by warming or cooling it, thereby transferring the same effect to the land surface over which it blows. Ocean currents flow for great distances, and together, create the global conveyor belt which plays a dominant role in determining the climate of many of the earth s regions. R470r473 june 2017 with 1,384 reads how we measure reads. The unit of flow for rivers and oceans is the sverdrup sv 10 6 cubic metres per second 0. The warm currents on the west, cold currents on the east is thus an oversimplification. These waters make up about 10% of all the water in the ocean. Ocean currents have a profound influence on climate covering some 71 per cent of the earth and absorbing about twice as much of the suns radiation as the atmosphere or the land surface, the oceans are a major component of the climate system.
An ocean current flows for great distances and together they create the global conveyor belt, which plays a dominant role in determining the climate of many of earths regions. The ocean has an interconnected current, or circulation, system powered by wind, tides, the earths rotation coriolis effect, the sun solar energy, and water density differences. Changes in ocean currents causes of climate change. Global climate and ocean circulation on an aquaplanet. Scientists across the globe are trying to figure out why the ocean is becoming more violent and what, if anything, can be done about it. Climate circulation, currents, and oceanatmosphere. Surface currents surface currents are caused by the wind and usually move only the upper few hundred meters of water. Jun 08, 2017 great ocean conveyor belt the great ocean conveyor belt is the name for a model of the large system of ocean currents that affects weather and climate by circulating thermal energy around earth. How ocean currents and temperature affect climate and weather the weather network how ocean currents and ocean temperatures affect weather in canada and in parts of the world.
Ocean currents and climate read earth science ck12. Identify major ocean gyres and their physical properties temperature, speed, and direction. Describe how global ocean currents affect coastal net primary productivity and fishing industries. Surface currents surface currents are caused by the wind and usually. The gulf streams warm waters raise temperatures in the north sea. Ocean currents and marine life article pdf available in current biology 2711. More specifically, ocean currents influence the temperature of the regions through which they travel. The role of ocean currents in climate noaa climate. Change in ocean currents effects a change in the global climate patterns. On our watery planet the climate is governed largely by the oceans.
Use your map with the labeled currents of the world to sail around the world. They can move water horizontally and vertically and occur on both local and global scales. The circulation of the ocean is a key factor in air temperature distribution. This breakout escape room is a fun way for students to test their knowledge of air currents, ocean currents and their effect on climate.
The warm water then flows across the atlantic ocean to europe. Examine ocean salinity and temperature patterns and their. The water at the ocean surface is moved primarily by winds that blow in certain patterns. Climate change refers to changes in these statistics over years, decades, or even centuries. This is so because primary production in the ocean is limited by availability of light and nutrients. Ocean currents transport important quantities, such as nutrients, heat and pollutants around the world, often with direct consequence to humans. Both convection and pressure affect the flow of water and air.
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