Oceans and their currents

Ocean currents are the vertical and horizontal movement above water and below water. They usually move in a specific direction and aid significantly in the circulation of the Earth's moister, the weather and the waters pollution.

Ocean currents are found all over the world and they vary in size, importance and strength. Some of the big currents include the California and Humboldt Currents in the Pacific, the Gulf Stream and Labrador Current in the Atlantic, and the Indian Monsoon Current in the Indian Ocean.

There are two kinds of currents. The deep water current and the surface current. Surface currents are found in the upper 400 meters of the ocean while the deep water currents and found below 400 meters. Surface currents are mainly caused by wind because it creates friction as it moves over the water. The friction then moves the water and forces the water to move in a spiral pattern, called gyres. Gravity plays a role in the movement of the surface currents because the top of the ocean in uneven. Like surface currents, gravity plays a role in the creation of deep water currents. But deep water currents are mainly caused by density differences in the water.