Everyone knows that the ocean is not a static formation, the water in it is in constant motion. Sometimes it moves in the form of wide streams, which scientists have called ocean currents. One of the main things on the planet is the North Atlantic Current, which will be discussed in this article.
Ocean currents and their place in the geographic shell of the Earth
The sea (or oceanic) current is a stream of water masses with the same properties, moving in one direction. Why is it formed? Due to the constant winds. So, in the region of the equator, in the Atlantic Ocean, the most powerful oceanic current of the northern hemisphere - the Gulf Stream - begins. At approximately 45 degrees north latitude, it transforms into the North Atlantic Current.
But south of the equator, the largest is the current of the West Winds, which goes around the entire globe. Its approximate width is several thousand kilometers, and the water in it moves at a speed of 3.5 kilometers per hour. It is generally accepted (though not all geographers share this position) that it is precisely the border of the so-called Southern Ocean (the fifth in a row, which they began to single out recently).
Sea currents are studied in detail by oceanologists using special ships, as well as satellite technology. In the geographical shell of the planet, they play a very important role: they provide migration of salts, heat, living organisms in the Ocean, and contribute to the mixing of waters. In addition, they significantly affect the climate of the continents, especially their coastal territories.
It is known that cold currents reduce average air temperatures along the coasts along which they pass, while warm ones bring heat to the coast. They also affect the amount of precipitation: cold - reduce, and warm - increase.
Their influence on the climate of territories can be seen in a simple example. So, the port in Murmansk is ice-free just because the North Atlantic Current passes nearby. But the driest place on the planet - the Atacama Desert on the South American coast - it was no coincidence that it formed where the cold Peruvian current flows.
North Atlantic Current: its "registration" on the world map
To find out where the North Atlantic Current is located, you need to look at the corresponding map. Its “homeland, " as you can see, is the Atlantic Ocean.
This powerful ocean current is a continuation of the Gulf Stream, originating at the equator. It begins in the Greater Newfoundland Bank area and moves in a powerful stream through the Atlantic to the north-east. Further, near the island of Ireland, it branches into two parts. One branch (called the Canary Current) turns southward, and the other continues to move northeast, bordering the northern outskirts of the European region. Even further, this branch is again divided into Norwegian and the Irminger Current.
Such is the geography of this trend. What are the physical and geographical properties characteristic of it?
North Atlantic Current: temperature and water flow rate
The current is classified as warm, the water temperature in it ranges from +7 to +16 degrees Celsius. The warm North Atlantic Current is completely cooled only in the Arctic Ocean, mixing with its waters. The speed of water in it is not the same: from 1.8 km / h in the southern part to 0.4 km / h in the north.
It should be noted that the main physical and geographical indicators of the North Atlantic Current are unstable. Both temperature and water speed strongly depend on the intensity of the Gulf Stream, which, in turn, is expressed in sharp changes in weather conditions in Europe (especially in winter).
Modern environmental threats
The Gulf Stream, in particular the North Atlantic Current, plays a crucial role in shaping the climate of Europe. So, in winter it significantly softens frosts, and in summer it reduces heat and brings a significant amount of rainfall. This is especially noticeable in the UK, in which fog and long drizzling rains have become almost national symbols.
Recently, environmentalists are increasingly saying that the North Atlantic Current may stop altogether. The reason for this is changes in the salinity of the Atlantic waters, as well as massive oil spills in ocean waters. Other geographers discard this possibility, talking only about the possibility of reducing the intensity of the flow due to these factors. This, in their opinion, has happened more than once in the past 50 thousand years.
