OCG 301 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Ekman Spiral, Ekman Transport, Oceanic Basin
Document Summary
Wind, driven by uneven solar heating and earth"s spin drive the movement of the ocean"s surface currents. Prime moves are the powerful westerlies and persistent trade winds (easterlies) About 10% of the water in the world ocean is involved in surface currents. Surface currents; water flowing horizontally in the uppermost 400m of the ocean"s surface, driven mainly by wind friction. Travel at a speed no greater than 3% of the wind speed. A combination of four forces; surface winds, sun"s heat, coriolis effect, and gravity circulates the ocean surface clockwise in the n. hemisphere and counterclockwise in the s hemisphere, forming gyres. In the n hemisphere, the top most layer of the ocean will flow about 45 degrees to the right of the wind direction. Ekman current: the net motion of fluid as the result of a balance between the coriolis and turbulent drag forces.
