Major Global Ocean Currents at the surface (red) and bottom of the ocean (blue) To learn more visit the CMEMS website: marine.copernic... Video Produced through: Mercator Ocean www.mercator-o...
When a surface current (red arrows) ceases or strongly diminishes (ex : south of Greenland, at 0:30, or in the northern part of the Weddel Sea), this means that the water flow turns downwards, forming deep and bottom water. Conversely, when a deep current (blue arrows) ceases or strongly weakens (ex : Central North Pacific, at 1:50), this means that the water flow turns upwards : it is an upwelling area, where surface waters are enriched by mineral elements formed and collected in the deep waters, allowing the development of a slow but vivid biological chain, from plancton to the biggest predators. But the most efficient upwellings are induced by the wind blowing towards the equator along the western coasts of the continents (if they are oriented roughly North-South).
This is an excellent generalization. A vast improvement of the more simplified version of this from 30 - 40 years ago. Apparently the Antarctic Deep Water recharging stopped in 2014. The unfolding changes in the AMOC are likely linked. A version of this that focuses on the currents of Antarctica and attempted to grapple with the shut down of the charging and what is shifting would ...
Eloquent and beautiful! Now...now...the Beaufort Gyre stalls, its less saline, warmer, low density "Hump" drains, drifts, blankets AMOC, and shuts off the Gulf Stream to Europe. Paris, France is 460 miles north of Boston, US. Welcome to catastrophic Global Cooling, "conneries." "8^>)
