What are the three types of geostrophic currents? What are their characteristics? Give at least one example of each type of current.
What will be an ideal response?
ANS:Answer
should include:
? Western boundary currents are those that move warm water towards the pole. They are
narrow currents with relatively defined boundaries. They are deep and move fast. There
are 5 large western boundary currents, the Gulf Stream being the largest.
? Western boundary currents tend to be depleted of nutrients and have little or no
upwelling events associated with them. This makes them relatively biologically
unproductive.
? Eddies are commonly found in western boundary currents as well.
? Eastern boundary currents carry cold water towards the equator. They are shallow and
broad with ill defined boundaries. These currents are slow moving.
? Although eddies tend not to form in eastern boundary currents like eastern boundary
currents, there is coastal upwelling commonly associated with them.
? Transverse currents travel from east to west or vice versa. They are vital in connecting
eastern and western boundary currents. These are a result from trade winds. The
Antarctic Circumpolar Current is the transverse current which is the also largest of all
ocean currents.
? Mid-latitude, eastern flowing currents are wider and flow slower compared to equatorial
transverse currents. This is due to the influence of trade winds.
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