Individual currents in the oceans are combined into systems included in the basin-wide circulation. The most famous is the Gulf Stream. This name is translated into Russian as Current from the Gulf. It has been preserved since those distant times when it is believed that the current arises as a stream of water rushing from the bay through the Strait of Florida to. It is now known that only a small fraction of the Gulf Stream waters are carried out of the Gulf. The current coming out from there is now preferred to be called the Florida Current. The oceanic flow reaching the latitude of Cape Hatteras on the coast receives a powerful influx from. This is where the Gulf Stream itself begins, a mighty “river in the ocean”, going to a depth of 700 - 800 m and reaching a width of 110 - 120 km. Another feature of the Gulf Stream was noted: upon exiting the ocean, it deviates not to the right, as it should be in the Northern Hemisphere under the influence of the Earth’s rotation, but to the left! This is the result of increased sea levels in its subtropical part. The average temperature of the surface layers of the current is 25 - 26° (at depths of about 400 m - only 10 - 12°). However, in the Gulf Stream, at a distance along the length of the ship’s hull, there are large temperature differences, reaching 10°, and changes in the color and transparency of sea water occur literally before our eyes.
In the surface layer of the current, a core of high-temperature waters is usually found, most pronounced at the very surface of the ocean, and a core of high-temperature waters centered at depths of 100 - 200 m. This feature can be traced all the way to the Big Bank. Thus, the idea of the Gulf Stream as a very warm current passing through colder waters is valid only for the surface layer, but even in it the warmest waters are only a few degrees higher than the surface temperature of the waters of the Sargasso Sea.
Surface velocities of the Gulf Stream itself can reach 2.0 - 2.6 m/s. Even at depths of about 2 km they are still significant: 10 - 20 cm/s. When leaving the Strait of Florida, the flow power is 25 million m3/s (and this value is more than 20 times the flow of all the rivers on the planet); after the addition of the Antilles Current (from the Sargasso Sea), the power of the flow increases to 106 million m/s.
And such a mighty stream rushes northeast to the Great Bank of Newfoundland. From here, the Gulf Stream, like the Slope Current separating from it, turns south, joining the North Atlantic gyre. And across the ocean, to the east, the North Atlantic Current rushes towards, which is sometimes considered part of the secondary oceanic current.
The Gulf Stream is the hot artery of the planet.
Where is
The Gulf Stream is a warm current in the Atlantic Ocean, carrying huge flows of water from the Gulf of Mexico to the Arctic Ocean, famous for its influence on the planet’s climate.
Characteristics
At its core, it is a powerful jet movement of water with a width of 70 to 90 kilometers. The speed of such movement in the upper layers of the ocean can reach several meters per second and drop significantly with depth.
The Gulf Stream originates in the heated Gulf of Mexico, from where it flows out as the Florida Current. Later, at the level of the Bahamas, it connects with the Antilles Current and is finally formed as one of the most significant currents in the world's oceans.
At first, his path runs along the coast of the United States, at some distance from the mainland. Sailing to Cape Hatters, it turns northeast and goes out into the open ocean.
Near Newfoundland, the Gulf Stream encounters the Labrador Current, which itself is quite cold. As a result, abundant evaporation occurs, which is the cause of constant fog in the region. Having lost its course, the stream sets off on a course towards Europe, making large branches along the way, including the Canary Current, which touches southwestern Europe and closes the cycle of Atlantic water movements.
The other branch goes north, again separating into the Icelandic and Norwegian (also washing the UK) directions. What is the significance of such a massive heat carrier traveling along the waves? First of all, this is a softening of the climate, especially affecting Europe. Nowhere else, at such northern latitudes, are water meadows found and heat-loving plants cannot grow.
diagram of the Gulf Stream on the map photo
It is thanks to the Gulf Stream that the coasts of Eurasia do not freeze over, and the continent does not turn into continuous tundra. This happens due to the rise of warm air masses above the current, which are carried with the wind, preventing the inhabitants of the Old World from freezing. Another important function of the Gulf Stream is related to ichthyofauna.
Places of contact with cold currents (banks) create a good background for the development of valuable commercial fish species in large numbers, as well as whales and other marine life. The fact is that small organisms that serve as food are captured and carried in the stream of flow, and then they accumulate in those same banks.
Scientists' forecasts
Scientists from many countries present reports on the Gulf Stream from time to time, making disappointing forecasts. According to them, the current is becoming unstable and its pace is slowing down. Moreover, there is an opinion that it has already stopped. And such a serious disruption in the functioning of the world's oceans will entail catastrophic climate changes, which, by the way, are so beloved by Hollywood directors.
Possible consequences include:
- Sharp cooling in Europe and the Atlantic US, leading to a local or global ice age.
- Global warming also promises frosts for the Old World; moreover, pole shifts and blurring of the boundaries of climatic zones are added to this theory.
- Other disasters of a smaller scale, such as tsunamis, hurricanes and floods.
Such hypotheses do not sound very rosy, but in fairness it must be said that there is not sufficient data on the real speed and temperature of the Gulf Stream, at least for most of it. On the contrary, many scientific luminaries argue that the work of the planet’s warm artery will not change, and if this happens, the phenomenon will be temporary.
- The flow is not a homogeneous and continuous mass; it is divided into several streams moving in the same direction. This allows it to easily branch out and create side swirls.
- To generate as much heat in a year as the Gulf Stream produces, more than a million nuclear power plants are needed.
- One of the factors disrupting the circulation of water in the Atlantic is the accident on the Deepwater Horizon oil platform and the subsequent spill of more than five million barrels of oil.
- The maximum speed of movement recorded off the coast of the United States is 9 km/h.
- The temporary stop of the Gulf Stream, according to some scientists, was the cause of the Little Ice Age, which took place about 14 thousand years ago.
- The "banks" of the Gulf Stream and Labrador are home to a large number of whales that come here as a result of migration.
GOLFSTREAM
Gulf Stream
warm current in north parts of the Atlantic Ocean. Name Gulf Stream (Gulf Stream) from English, gulf "bay", stream "flow" and means letters, "flood current"- it is formed in the Strait of Florida as a drainage current from the Gulf of Mexico. Discovered Spanish seafarers at the beginning of the 16th century V. and was first called the Florida Current. The name Gulf Stream was proposed by America. scientist Benjamin Franklin in 1722 G.
Geographical names of the world: Toponymic dictionary. - M: AST. Pospelov E.M. 2001.
GOLFSTREAM
system of warm currents in the north. parts of the Atlantic Ocean. Formed in the south. part of the Strait of Florida, in the ocean it connects with the Antilles Current and moves to the north along the north. America to the Newfoundland Bank, after which it is called the North Atlantic Current. Width up to 200 km, flow thickness 700-800 m, speed 10 km/h.
Concise geographical dictionary. EdwART. 2008.
Gulf Stream
(Gulf Stream), a system of warm currents in the north. parts of the Atlantic Ocean, extending over 10 thousand km from the Florida Peninsula to the islands of Spitsbergen and Novaya Zemlya. Discovered by Spanish sailors at the beginning of the 16th century. and it was called Florida Current . The name Gulf Stream was proposed in 1722 by B. Franklin. Originates in the south. h. Florida Strait. as a result of a strong surge of water into the Gulf of Mexico by trade winds. through the Yucatan Strait. When entering the ocean, the flow capacity is 2160 km³ per day, which is 20 times the flow of all rivers on the globe. Coming out into the ocean, it connects with the Antilles Current and at 38° N. latitude. its power more than triples. Further, G. moves at a speed of 6–10 km/h in the north along the Atlantic coast of the North. America to Bol. Newfoundland Bank, outside of which is called North Atlantic Current . The width of the stream from south to north increases from 75 to 200 km, its thickness is 700–800 m, and the water temperature at the surface decreases from 24–28 to 10–20 °C. G. has a huge impact on the nature of the north. part of the Atlantic Ocean and the adjacent part of the North. the Arctic Ocean, as well as the climate of Europe, creating very mild climatic conditions in temperate and arctic latitudes.
Dictionary of modern geographical names. - Ekaterinburg: U-Factoria. Under the general editorship of academician. V. M. Kotlyakova. 2006 .
Gulf Stream
a system of warm currents in the North Atlantic Ocean. It spreads over 10 thousand km - from the Florida Peninsula to Spitsbergen and Novaya Zemlya. Originates in the south. part of the Strait of Florida as a result of a strong surge of water from the trade winds through the Yucatan Strait into the Gulf of Mexico, which leads to a significant difference in levels between the Gulf of Mexico and the adjacent part of the Atlantic Ocean. When entering the ocean, the flow capacity is 2160 km³ per day, which is 20 times the flow of all rivers on the globe. Coming out into the ocean, it connects with the Antilles Current, and at 38° N. w. power more than triples.
The Gulf Stream moves northward at a speed of 6–10 km/h along the Atlantic coast of the North. America to the Great Newfoundland Bank, beyond which is called the North Atlantic Current. Shir. flow in the south - 75 km, thickness 700–800 m, water temperature at the surface 24–28 °C; in the area of the Great Newfoundland Bank shire. the flow reaches 200 km, speed up to 4 km/h, water temperature at the surface 10–20 °C. At the south The cold Labrador Current approaches the outskirts of the Great Newfoundland Bank from the north, which causes mixing and subsidence of surface waters.
Off the coast of Europe, the Gulf Stream splits into a number of branches. The warm Irminger Current enters the Greenland Sea, bypassing Iceland from the west; The West Greenland Current bends around Greenland from the south and follows along its west. shores in the Baffin Sea; The Norwegian Current runs along the west. shores of the Scandinavian Peninsula, and near its northern. at the tip, the North Cape Current separates, running to the east along the south. parts of the Barents Sea. Basic The Gulf Stream continues to the north and runs along the west. coast of Spitsbergen. To the north it plunges into the cold waters of the North. of the Arctic Ocean and persists here as a warm and salty intermediate current.
The Gulf Stream has a huge impact on the climate, hydrological and biological conditions of the north. parts of the Atlantic Ocean and the adjacent part of the North. Arctic Ocean, as well as on the climate of Europe, creating very mild conditions in the north. latitudes January temperatures deviate from Wed. latitudinal values in Norway by 15–20°, and in Murmansk by more than 10°.
Warm current in the north. part of the Atlantic Ocean was discovered in the beginning. 16th century Spanish navigators called it the Florida Current. The name Gulf Stream was proposed (in 1722) by the American scientist B. Franklin.
Geography. Modern illustrated encyclopedia. - M.: Rosman. Edited by prof. A. P. Gorkina. 2006 .
Gulf Stream
a warm current in the mid-latitudes of the North Atlantic Ocean, moving in a northeasterly direction. The main branch of this current originates in the Gulf of Mexico (hence its name, which means “current from the Gulf” in English) and penetrates into the Atlantic through the Strait of Florida; then the current is diverted north by the Great Bahama Bank, an underwater platform located southeast of the Florida Peninsula.
Coming out of the Gulf of Mexico, the Gulf Stream carries large accumulations of floating algae of the genus Sargassum and various species of thermophilic fish (including flying ones). Off the east coast of Florida, the boundaries of the Gulf Stream are clear, especially the western one. The brilliant blue of this current contrasts sharply with the greenish-gray, colder waters of the North Atlantic.
The flow itself is not just a homogeneous mass of a moving ribbon of water. It consists of several streams having approximately the same direction. At its eastern edge there are numerous rightward curling eddies; some of them are even completely separated from the main stream.
Near the Grand Bahama Bank, the Gulf Stream receives a branch of the North Trade Wind Current and follows generally parallel to the east coast of the United States, but at a short distance from it. It is with the warm waters of this current that the mild winter on the Bermuda Islands is associated. Near Cape Hatteras (the coast of North Carolina), the Gulf Stream turns northeast and heads towards the Great Bank of Newfoundland. Here it meets the cold Labrador Current and also comes into contact with colder air coming from the north. As a result, the area experiences almost constant fog. From the Great Newfoundland Bank, the Gulf Stream moves eastward to the shores of Europe (this part of it is called the Western Wind Current). Approximately in the middle of the North Atlantic, the Gulf Stream divides into two currents. One of them follows further east to the shores of Europe, and then, turning south, forms the Canary Current, the other, called the North Atlantic Current, gradually deviates to the left and continues to move to the northeast. This current passes off the western coast of the British Isles, where a branch is again separated from it, heading west to the southern coast of Iceland - the Irminger Current. Another part of the North Atlantic Current, the Norwegian Current, follows the coast of Norway.
Encyclopedia Around the World. 2008 .
Synonyms:
See what "GOLFSTREAM" is in other dictionaries:
- (Gulf stream) is the name given to one of the most important ocean currents of the Northern half of the Atlantic Ocean, which has great navigational and physical geographical significance. It is a continuation of that branch of the united Guiana and Northern... ... Marine Dictionary
Modern encyclopedia
Gulf Stream- (English Gulf Stream), a system of warm currents in the northern part of the Atlantic Ocean (the largest of them are the Gulf Stream and the North Atlantic Current). Extends 10 thousand km from the shores of the Florida peninsula to the Great Newfoundland ... Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary
- (English Gulf Stream) a system of warm currents in the northern part of the Atlantic Ocean, extending 10 thousand km from the coast of the Florida Peninsula to the islands of Spitsbergen and Novaya Zemlya. Speed from 6 to 10 km/h in the Florida Straits. up to 3 4 km/h in area B.… … Big Encyclopedic Dictionary
Current, golfstream, golfstream Dictionary of Russian synonyms. golfstream noun, number of synonyms: 3 golfstream (3) ... Synonym dictionary
GOLF STREAM, a relatively fast current in the North Atlantic Ocean. Originates in the Gulf of Mexico, USA; flows along the east coast of North America, then across the Atlantic Ocean (at this point it is called NORTH... ... Scientific and technical encyclopedic dictionary
- (Flood Current) one of the most remarkable sea currents, passes to the north. Atlantic Ocean from the West Indies to the shores of Europe, in the north. Arctic Ocean and to the west. the shores of Greenland. This name was first given by Franklin, who considered the origin ... Encyclopedia of Brockhaus and Efron
Gulf Stream- ■ Famous city in Norway, recently opened... Lexicon of common truths
Gulf Stream- A warm ocean current heading north from the Gulf of Mexico along the east coast of the United States to the southeastern shores of the Newfoundland Islands Topics... ... Technical Translator's Guide
The Gulf Stream is a system of warm currents in the north. parts of the Atlantic Ocean, extending over 10 thousand km from the Florida Peninsula to the islands of Spitsbergen and Novaya Zemlya. Discovered by Spanish sailors at the beginning of the 16th century. and it was called the Florida Current. The name Gulf Stream was proposed in 1722 by B. Franklin. Originates in the south.
part of the Florida Strait. as a result of a strong surge of water into the Gulf of Mexico by trade winds. through the Yucatan Strait. When entering the ocean, the power of the current is 2160 km per day, which is 20 times greater than the flow of all rivers on the globe.
Coming out into the ocean, it connects with the Antilles Current and at 38° N. latitude. its power more than triples. Further, G. moves at a speed of 6-10 km/h in the north along the Atlantic coast of the North. America to Bol. Newfoundland Bank, beyond which it is called the North Atlantic Current.
The width of the stream from South to North increases from 75 to 200 km, its thickness is 700-800 m, and the water temperature on the surface decreases from 24-28 to 10-20 °C. G. has a huge impact on the nature of the north. part of the Atlantic Ocean and the adjacent part.
North the Arctic Ocean, as well as the climate of Europe, creating very mild climatic conditions in temperate and arctic latitudes.
Photo: Norman B. Leventhal Map Center at the BPL
The main branch of this current originates in the Gulf of Mexico (hence its name, which means “current from the Gulf” in English) and penetrates into the Atlantic through the Strait of Florida; then the current is diverted north by the Great Bahama Bank, an underwater platform located southeast of the Florida Peninsula.
Coming out of the Gulf of Mexico, the Gulf Stream carries large accumulations of floating algae of the genus Sargassum and various species of thermophilic fish (including flying ones).
Off the east coast of Florida, the boundaries of the Gulf Stream are clear, especially the western one. The brilliant blue of this current contrasts sharply with the greenish-gray, colder waters of the North Atlantic.
The flow itself is not just a homogeneous mass of a moving ribbon of water. It consists of several streams having approximately the same direction. At its eastern edge there are numerous rightward curling eddies; some of them are even completely separated from the main stream.
Near the Grand Bahama Bank, the Gulf Stream receives a branch of the North Trade Wind Current and follows generally parallel to the east coast of the United States, but at a short distance from it.
It is with the warm waters of this current that the mild winter on the Bermuda Islands is associated. Near Cape Hatteras (the coast of North Carolina), the Gulf Stream turns northeast and heads towards the Great Bank of Newfoundland. Here it meets the cold Labrador Current and also comes into contact with colder air coming from the north.
As a result, the area experiences almost constant fog. From the Great Newfoundland Bank, the Gulf Stream moves eastward to the shores of Europe (this part of it is called the Western Wind Current). Approximately in the middle of the North Atlantic, the Gulf Stream divides into two currents. One of them follows further east to the shores of Europe, and then, turning south, forms the Canary Current, the other, called the North Atlantic Current, gradually deviates to the left and continues to move to the northeast.
This current passes off the western coast of the British Isles, where a branch is again separated from it, heading west to the southern coast of Iceland - the Irminger Current. Another part of the North Atlantic Current, the Norwegian Current, follows the coast of Norway.
Ideas about fathering, still popular in our time, took shape in the last century.
The Gulf Stream was compared to a river changing its position (meandering) in the ocean. The research that existed at that time in this part of the ocean made it possible to classify the current as geostrophic (i.e., formed by the balance of only two forces: the pressure gradient on the water and the Coriolis force) currents. On the surface of the ocean, the Gulf Stream has a width of 70-100 km, and the depth from the surface is about 500 m.
The current passes along the hydrofront - the interface between the cold (and less saline) slope water in the west and north and the warm (and more saline) water of the Sargasso Sea in the east and south, and the Gulf Stream itself meanders within a distance of about 500 km (Fig. 2, 3) - along the hydrofront region, leading to the formation of warm (to the left of the jet) and cold (to the right of it) vortices with a speed of up to 1.5 m/s with a diameter of up to 400 km.
This information about the dynamics of the Gulf Stream waters was obtained mainly by analyzing data on water temperature and salinity, i.e. thermohaline parameters.
However, within the framework of existing ideas about the nature of the Gulf Stream, it is impossible to explain why, outside the current, masses of water (its bed) move in the opposite direction, why the current pulsates, stops, and then picks up speed again, and after 10-20 days the situation repeats.
And why have numerous attempts to reproduce these properties on a model failed? We tried to answer some of these questions using data from direct measurements of current speeds.
Not long ago, a new device appeared in the hands of oceanographers. This is a drifter - a float with an antenna that allows you to monitor the movement of water, and from here determine the speed and direction of the current, in this case at a horizon of 15 m.
Information about the drifter's position in the ocean is transmitted via satellite to the Data Collection Center. More than 400 drifters have been launched in and around the Gulf Stream over the past 10 years, each providing information for an average of one and a half years. As a result, a huge amount of material was collected about currents and water temperatures, on the basis of which we conducted our own analysis of the dynamics of the Gulf Stream and tried to understand its nature.
An area of the ocean is identified in which the speed is much greater.
Current speeds here decrease from south to north, from 1 to 0.5 m/s. In the southern part, the Gulf Stream is about 100 km wide, and in the northern part it is more than 300 km wide. From the more detailed information presented in Fig. 5, 6, it follows that the Gulf Stream currents are quite stable in direction, at least in its main part, south of 38°N.
Let us now consider the behavior of currents in the Gulf Stream.
To do this, let us analyze the route typical for the Gulf Stream and the course of the current velocity module (Fig. 7, below).
It can be stated that within the Gulf Stream, especially its southern part, drifters, and therefore masses of water, move predominantly unidirectionally and along isobaths, or more precisely along the shelf edge. In this case, the water flow does not move strictly along the isobaths, but makes slight fluctuations to the right and left in relation to the movement of the main water flow.
Such fluctuations are small in the part of the Gulf Stream south of 38°N. and are significant to the north of it. With such a predominantly unidirectional movement of the water flow, the speed pulsates, reaching values close to zero at minimum. Sometimes the water flow moves in the opposite direction, although weakly. What reason and force makes the waters behave this way: stop, and then pick up speed and stop again, etc., i.e. pulsate in time and space?
This behavior of currents clearly contradicts the concept of them as thermohaline and geostrophic.
It seems that a powerful stream of water flows into the ocean from the Gulf of Mexico through the Strait of Florida in the form of a jet, which forms the Gulf Stream. Previously, this was exactly what was believed. This is where the current got its name: the Gulf Stream, which translated from English means the river of the Gulf (of Mexico) or the stream of the Gulf.
However, this impression is deceptive. Later it was found that the Gulf Stream is mainly formed by the mentioned cold slope waters from the north and the warm waters of the Sargasso Sea from the south, but not by the Gulf of Mexico, from where practically no water comes. It also turned out that in the middle part of the Gulf Stream the water flow is much greater than in the southern part, in the Strait of Florida (and these facts are in no way consistent with the thermohaline and geostrophic nature of the current).
It is no coincidence that they began to talk about the Gulf Stream not as a river flowing out of the bay, but as a current carrying its waters from the Florida Peninsula.
The Gulf Stream is a large sea current in the Atlantic Ocean.
Thanks to its warm waters, European states located on the shores of the ocean have a milder climate than without it.
It would seem that what does water and air have to do with it, and how is the influence of the Gulf Stream on Europe so great?
The answer is very simple: the warm waters of the current heat the air, which with the wind reaches the coast of Eurasia, preventing the countries located on the continent from freezing.
The power of the current is truly impressive.
The water flow per second is more than in all the rivers on the planet and amounts to 50 million cubic meters. m. There is as much heat in the Gulf Stream as would be produced by 1 million nuclear power plants.
The Gulf Stream receives its supply of warm water from the Gulf of Mexico and carries it along the coast of North America almost to Canada, where it turns into the open ocean, heading towards Europe.
Wasting a colossal supply of heat along the way, the current still brings so much energy to the mainland that tundra has not formed in Europe. And it should, because... above 60 degrees north latitude, reindeer live in other places on the planet, and in Europe at the same latitude there are green meadows.
The biological productivity of the Gulf Stream has not been the subject of special research. The biomass of plankton in the Gulf Stream zone is also small. The Gulf Stream region cannot be a feeding area for either boreal or subtropical fish, since the former avoid the warm waters of the Gulf Stream, and the latter find favorable conditions in the area of the frontal zones of the Gulf Stream and the waters of the Atlantic.
The importance of the Gulf Stream is its participation in the “breeding” of the largest commercial species of fish and zooplankton.
When faced with cold waters in the north of the ocean, the current creates so-called “banks”, which are an ideal habitat for flora and fauna. In such places, fishing for commercial fish flourishes: herring, cod, etc. The development of small crustaceans forms “feeding fields” for many cetaceans that organize annual migrations here.
The Gulf Stream is a powerful warm Atlantic current. The influence of the Gulf Stream is noticeable even in the Arctic Ocean in the form of the North Cape and Norwegian Currents. The Gulf Stream is responsible for unstable weather conditions in this area.
Gulf Stream
GOLF STREAM, a warm current in the mid-latitudes of the North Atlantic Ocean, moving in a northeasterly direction. The fastest current in the Atlantic, the Gulf Stream is one of the very powerful forces of nature.
The water flow of the Gulf Stream is about 50 million cubic meters of water every second, which is 20 times more than the flow of all the world's rivers combined. Locally, in each individual region, the direction and nature of the current are also determined by the outline of the continents, temperature conditions, salinity distribution and other factors.
The Gulf Stream in a broad sense is the entire system of warm currents in the North Atlantic, the core and main driving force of which is the Gulf Stream
It is known that north of Cape Hatteras the Gulf Stream is losing stability. It exhibits quasi-periodic fluctuations with a period of 1.5-2 years, similar to fluctuations in the jet stream in the atmosphere, known as the index cycle. Considering the influence of the Gulf Stream on the climate, it is assumed that in the short-term historical perspective a climate catastrophe associated with disruption of the flow is possible.
In particular, according to Doctor of Geographical Sciences, oceanologist A.L. Bondarenko, “the mode of operation of the Gulf Stream will not change.”
This is argued by the fact that no actual water transfer occurs, that is, the flow is a Rossby wave. It carries heated water masses from the Indian Ocean and the south Atlantic to the northwestern coast of Europe.
But the North Atlantic Gulf Stream can't explain all the disappearances
Thanks to the Gulf Stream, European countries adjacent to the Atlantic Ocean have a milder climate compared to regions lying at the same latitude.
Over the North Atlantic, westerly winds remove heat from masses of warm water and are transferred to Europe.
This current is directed in a narrow stream along the coast of North America. An additional factor of deviation in the eastern direction is the Coriolis force. The continuation of the Gulf Stream to the northeast of the Great Newfoundland Bank is the North Atlantic Current.
Now the Gulf Stream for Europe and the USA is a generous gift of nature to their economies and populations. The northern hemisphere weather kitchen is located in the North Atlantic and Arctic Ocean. The Gulf Stream acts as a heating system in it; it is also called the “stove of Europe”.
The cold and denser Labrador Current “dives” under the warm and lighter Gulf Stream without preventing it from warming Europe.
The density of the Labrador Current waters is only 0.1% higher than the density of the Gulf Stream waters. As a result, the Barents Sea does not freeze all year round, and in Europe palm trees grow and houses with cardboard walls are built.
If suddenly the Labrador Current becomes equal in density to the Gulf Stream, it will rise closer to the surface of the ocean and block its movement to the north. That's it, we've arrived. We get a diagram of ice age currents.
Studies of ice in Greenland show that climate change processes could occur within three to ten years.
Over the next few years, air temperatures in Europe will be equal to those in Siberia. Now giant oil spills have been discovered in the waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Oil has been leaking for months from a well drilled by BP on the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico.
The Norwegian Current disappeared along with it. The first to report the stoppage of the Gulf Stream in August 2010 was Dr. Zangari, a theoretical physicist from Italy. The average water temperature in the north of the Gulf Stream dropped by 10 degrees.
The Gulf Stream is a warm current in the Gulf of Mexico that bends around Florida and flows along the east coast of the United States to approximately 37 degrees north latitude. and then breaks away from the coast to the east
Letters are coming to the editor asking for clarification on whether the warm current will really disappear soon.
Similar currents exist in the Pacific Ocean - Kuroshio, and in the Southern Hemisphere.
For the same reason, the Northern Hemisphere as a whole is slightly warmer than the Southern. The primary reason for the unusual nature of the North Atlantic is that slightly more water evaporates over the Atlantic than falls as precipitation.
In place of the water that has sank into the depths of the North Atlantic, water comes from the south, this is the North Atlantic Current. Thus, the causes of the North Atlantic Current are global, and are unlikely to be significantly affected by such a local event as an oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
But even this magnitude of seasonal anomalies is quite common and is observed in one region or another almost every year. Reports that the Gulf Stream between the 76th and 47th meridians in 2010 became colder by 10 degrees Celsius are also not confirmed. But the ice continued to melt, and at some point, water from the lake began to flow into the North Atlantic, desalinizing it and thereby preventing the sinking of the water and the North Atlantic Current.
A continuation of the Gulf Stream is the North Atlantic Current, carrying a cooled stream in the north to the Southern Hemisphere.
Changes in the continuity of the Gulf Stream are a topic of debate in scientific circles. Several factors are involved in the origin and direction of the Gulf Stream. Almost a third is in the path of the Gulf Stream. The first refers to the Gulf Stream itself - an ocean current along the eastern coast of North America up to 90 kilometers wide and with a speed of up to several meters per second.
Individual currents in the oceans are combined into systems included in the basin-wide circulation. The most famous sea current is the Gulf Stream. This name is translated into Russian as Current from the Gulf. It has been preserved since those distant times when it is believed that the current arises as a stream of water rushing from the Gulf of Mexico through the Strait of Florida into the Atlantic.
It is now known that only a small fraction of the Gulf Stream waters are carried out of the Gulf. The current coming out from there is now preferred to be called the Florida Current. The ocean current, reaching the latitude of Cape Hatteras on the Atlantic coast of the United States, receives a powerful influx from the Sargasso Sea.
This is where the Gulf Stream itself begins, a mighty “river in the ocean”, going to a depth of 700 - 800 m and reaching a width of 110 - 120 km. Another feature of the Gulf Stream was noted: upon exiting the ocean, it deviates not to the right, as it should be in the Northern Hemisphere under the influence of the Earth’s rotation, but to the left!
This is the result of increased sea levels in its subtropical part. The average temperature of the surface layers of the current is 25 - 26° (at depths of about 400 m - only 10 - 12°). However, in the Gulf Stream, at a distance along the length of the ship’s hull, there are large temperature differences, reaching 10°, and changes in the color and transparency of sea water occur literally before our eyes.
In the surface layer of the current, a core of high-temperature waters, most pronounced at the very surface of the ocean, and a core of high-salinity waters centered at depths of 100 - 200 m are usually found.
This feature can be traced back to the Great Bank of Newfoundland. Thus, the idea of the Gulf Stream as a very warm current passing through colder waters is valid only for the surface layer, but even in it the warmest waters are only a few degrees higher than the surface temperature of the waters of the Sargasso Sea.
Surface velocities of the Gulf Stream itself can reach 2.0 - 2.6 m/s.
Even at depths of about 2 km they are still significant: 10 - 20 cm/s.
Gulf Stream Current
When leaving the Strait of Florida, the flow power is 25 million m3/s (and this value is more than 20 times the flow of all the rivers on the planet); after the addition of the Antilles Current (from the Sargasso Sea), the power of the flow increases to 106 million m/s.
And such a mighty stream rushes northeast to the Great Bank of Newfoundland. From here, the Gulf Stream, like the Slope Current separating from it, turns south, joining the North Atlantic gyre.
And across the ocean, to the east, towards Europe, the North Atlantic Current rushes, which is sometimes considered part of the secondary oceanic water cycle.
Gulf Stream Wikipedia
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GOLF STREAM (English - Gulf Stream, literally - gulf current), one of the most powerful warm currents of the World Ocean. Located in the North Atlantic Ocean; flowing from the Strait of Florida, it heads along the coast of North America to Cape Hatteras, where it breaks away from the coast. Next, the Gulf Stream spreads in the open ocean approximately along 38° north latitude to 40-50° west longitude. In this area (sometimes called the Gulf Stream Delta), the current divides into several branches, the main of which, called the North Atlantic Current, extends northeast to the coast of northern Europe.
Sometimes the entire system of warm currents from the shores of the Florida Peninsula to the Spitsbergen Islands and the Novaya Zemlya archipelago is mistakenly called the Gulf Stream.
The reasons for the formation of the Gulf Stream are the meridional distribution of wind, the water density gradient, and the rotation of the Earth.
When entering the ocean from the Strait of Florida, the transport of water by the Gulf Stream is 25-29 million m3/s, which is tens of times greater than the flow of all rivers on the globe. In the ocean, water transport by the Gulf Stream increases and at 38° north latitude reaches 80-90 million m3/s. When leaving the Strait of Florida, the width of the Gulf Stream is 60-75 km, the speed of water movement is 1-3 m/s.
After the Gulf Stream separates from the coast in the area of Cape Hatteras, the width of the Gulf Stream increases to 100-150 km, and the speed decreases to 0.5-1.5 m/s. The Gulf Stream covers the upper layer of the ocean with a thickness of 700 m to 1 km. The most important feature of the Gulf Stream as a jet stream off the western coast is its instability associated with hydrodynamic reasons.
An image of the Gulf Stream from space does not show a continuous flow comparable to a river in the ocean, but rather a wide band of complex eddy-like movements with a general direction of movement to the northeast, the so-called Gulf Stream meanders and eddies, ranging in size from several tens to several hundred kilometers.
The Gulf Stream carries a large supply of heat and salts. The average annual surface water temperature at the exit from the Strait of Florida is over 25°C with a salinity of 36.2-36.4‰. As the current moves to the northeast, the temperature of the surface layer in the Gulf Stream delta region decreases due to interaction with the atmosphere to 13-15°C.
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In general, the Gulf Stream and its continuation in the form of the North Atlantic Current have a great influence on the hydrological and biological characteristics of the seas and the Arctic Ocean itself, as well as on the climate of European countries.
Masses of warm water heat the air passing over them, which is carried by westerly winds to Europe. An important climatic phenomenon is the North Atlantic Oscillation, the occurrence of atmospheric circulation anomalies (including the formation of cyclones). The shift in the position of the Gulf Stream and changes in its flow and temperature determine the dynamics of global ocean circulation.
Although these fluctuations are not very large (tens of kilometers, 1-2°C and no more than 5-10 million m3/s), they are the most important climatic factor in the northern part of the Atlantic. It is currently impossible to reliably determine whether the North Atlantic Oscillation is the cause of these changes or whether the oscillation itself is to some extent a consequence of them.
Observed interannual changes in the position and intensity of the Gulf Stream significantly change the transport of moisture from the Atlantic to Europe, especially in winter.
Lit.: Stommel G. Gulf Stream. Physical and dynamic description. M., 1963; Burkov V. A. General circulation of the World Ocean.
Gulf Stream (current)
L., 1980; Ocean circulation and climate: observing and modeling the Global ocean. San Diego, 2000; Ocean circulation. Boston, 2001.
Main analysis of the North Equatorial Pacific. Features of the speed and temperature of moisture of the Japan Current. The main essence of the appearance of the western drift. Characteristics of the formation of the warm Gulf Stream in Atlantic waters.
Students, graduate students, young scientists who use the knowledge base in their studies and work will be very grateful to you.
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Report
On the topic of the Kuroshiwu Current and the Gulf Stream
Prepared by:
Parfenov Danil 7”A”
year 2014
JAPANESE TREND, OR CUROSIVE
Blue Current - is formed from the North Equatorial Current of the Pacific Ocean, which, turning to N due to the meeting with the Philippine Islands, approaches the island of Formosa and, starting from here, is called the Japan Current. This current is only about 100 nautical miles wide, then it bends to the right and goes west of the Liu Kiuz Islands to the Japanese Islands.
The eastern edge of the current is less defined than the western one. The speed of the Japan Current is initially about 35-40 nautical miles, and near the Liu Kiuz Islands it reaches 70-80 nautical miles.
In the summer of the northern hemisphere, the speed of the Japan Current is greater, sometimes reaching even 100 nautical miles. The water temperature of the Japan Current at its beginning in August is about 28°. Approaching Japan, the current passes through the Van Diemen's Strait between the island of Nipon and the Liu Kiuz Islands, widens and reaches a width of 300 nautical miles, and its speed decreases.
On the northern shores of Nipon, between the latter and the Japan Current, which has moved to the right into the ocean, a cold current appears - Oya-Sio, coming from the Kuril Islands chain; its temperature is several degrees lower than Japan. Having passed parallel to the northern tip of Nipon, Ya. T. gradually loses its strength, deviates to the right into the open ocean and, starting from here, is called western drift Japanese current.
It goes east across the ocean between parallels 40-50° N. w. at a speed of 10-20 nautical miles. Approaching America, the current divides, part of it turns N along the coast of Canada and Alaska, forming a warm Aleutian Current . The speed of this current is insignificant. Another part of Ya. T.'s drift turns south and goes under the name California Current along the coast of America.
The average speed of the California Current is 15 nautical miles. Having paralleled the southern tip of the California Peninsula (tropical), the current gradually deviates to the SW and W and joins the North Equatorial Current.
The Japan Current is similar to the Gulf Stream in many respects. Japanese current drift golf stream
Warm Gulf Stream is a current in the Atlantic Ocean that begins near the Bahamas and ends its path near Europe and becomes the North Atlantic Current. The Gulf Stream is an amazing phenomenon. Firstly, it is warm, and secondly, the Gulf Stream warms eastern Europe with its waters. It creates a warm climate in Eastern Europe: it is thanks to it that deciduous forests and even palm trees grow here, and the tundra does not lie there.
Why does the Gulf Stream exist?
The thing is that the hot and cold waters of the Atlantic Ocean form a kind of conveyor belt.
golf stream current on the world map
Hot equatorial waters rise to the top and form a current, and when they reach the end of the path, they cool.
At the same time, they sink down into the water column and move back to the beginning of the flow. Thus, the warm Gulf Stream exists.
Some scientists say that the Gulf Stream is slowing down its waters, and some say that it has stopped completely. It's hard to figure out who's right right now, but the Gulf Stream does have several reasons to slow down.
The first of them is global warming.
Glaciers are melting rapidly, diluting the salty ocean water with their fresh water. A decrease in salinity disrupts the balance of the Gulf Stream. The second reason is the very large amount of oil that was spilled in the Gulf of Mexico. This also affects it, disrupting and slowing it down.
Stopping the warm Gulf Stream carries many dangers: cooling of Europe, climate disruption, the emergence of an ice age.
It plays a huge role in the life of our planet.
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Currents of the World Ocean. The mechanism of origin of the Gulf Stream current system.
Circulation pattern and flow movement. Flow speed and temperature, their changes. The influence of the system on the geographical envelope. Possible development of changes in the current system.
course work, added 03/05/2012
The influence of the Gulf Stream on the climate of temperate latitudes
Circulation and dynamics of surface and deep waters in the North Atlantic.
The history of the development of ideas about the Gulf Stream, its origins and ramifications. Velocities and flow rates of source water, meanders and eddies. Temperature field and its changes. Impact on the climate of Europe.
course work, added 03/24/2015
Gulf Stream Current
The Gulf Stream is a warm current in the North Atlantic Ocean.
A possible decrease in the temperature difference between the pole and the equator with a stronger greenhouse effect. The Gulf Stream and the secrets of the Bermuda Triangle. The slowdown of the Gulf Stream is a thing of the past.
report, added 11/19/2011
History of Gulf Stream exploration
The Gulf Stream is a well-known ocean current that flows through the sea rather than over land.
The direction, color and causes of the Gulf Stream, its first scientific study. Gulf Stream and its continuation. Postal service of the world's most famous ocean current.
abstract, added 06/04/2010
Comprehensive physical and geographical characteristics of the Pacific Ocean
Geological structure and topography of the Pacific Ocean bottom.
Underwater continental margins. Mid-ocean ridges and ocean floor. Distribution of water salinity, climate and currents. Phytoplankton of the Pacific Ocean, its fauna, rich mineral deposits.
abstract, added 03/19/2016
Oceans of the world
The Pacific Ocean is the largest in area, the deepest and the oldest of the oceans.
Comprehensive studies of the nature of the Atlantic and the peculiarities of its flow. Organic world and climate of the Indian Ocean. History of exploration of the Arctic Ocean.
abstract, added 06/20/2009
The Gulf Stream current system and its significance for the geographical envelope
General patterns of circulation of Gulf Stream currents, causes of occurrence and distribution.
The influence of the Gulf Stream on climate, its significance for human life and economic activity, possible positive and negative consequences of their impact.
course work, added 09/15/2014
Characteristics of the Korean-Japanese tourist and recreational area
General characteristics of the Korean-Japanese tourist area: geographical location, flora and fauna, landscape structure.
Ethnocultural, historical features and tourist and recreational resources. The most important directions of tourist flows.
course work, added 05/23/2014
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean as the second largest after the Pacific, its geographical location, characteristics of the bed and transition zones, washed areas. Climatic conditions of the ocean, the topography of its bottom and existing currents, features of the organic world.
abstract, added 04/14/2010
Analysis of modern research on the Pacific Ocean
Heyerdahl and J.-I. Cousteau's exploration of the Pacific Ocean. Results of the work of research vessels and round-the-world expeditions. Achievements of international projects aimed at discovering and clarifying the conditions of the least studied areas of the ocean.
The Gulf Stream is the most famous ocean current that flows across the sea rather than on land. But the Gulf Stream is so large that its mass is greater than all rivers flowing on land!
The Gulf Stream moves north along the east coast of the United States, across the North Atlantic Ocean, reaching northwest Europe. The color of the Gulf Stream - bright blue - contrasts with the greenish and gray water of the ocean through which it passes.
It begins its journey in the Atlantic Ocean near the equator. Surface water movement, or “drift,” occurs in a westerly direction, so the Gulf Stream initially heads north from South America into the Caribbean Sea. It is only when it turns north and moves along the east coast of the United States that it becomes the Gulf Stream.
Since the Gulf Stream originated in a warm part of the world, it is a flow of warm water. The influx of a huge mass of warm water brings significant changes to the climate of many regions!
Here are some amazing examples: winds passing through the Gulf Stream into northern Europe (where it is called the North Atlantic Stream) bring heat to Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Holland and Belgium. As a result, it is warmer here in winter than in other areas located at the same latitude. For the same reason, seaports on the Norwegian coast are ice-free all year round.
Thanks to the Gulf Stream, winters in Paris and London are warmer than in southern Labrador, where winters are very cold. Winds passing over the Gulf Stream become warm and humid. When such winds cool down, such as when approaching Newfoundland, thick fog forms. This is why there are the famous fogs on the Grand Bank in the Newfoundland area.
The Gulf Stream does not have the same effect on winter temperatures in North America as it does in Europe, since the winds blow towards Europe.
What causes ocean currents?
There are huge masses of water in the sea that are constantly moving. Their circulation is very complex, since there are many other factors that force the water to move. One of them is that dense water sinks down, and lighter water rises.
The densest water in the ocean is cold and salty. It becomes this way when sea water freezes in the Arctic Ocean and near Antarctica. The ice resulting from this freezing contains very little salt. The cold, salty water remaining after ice formation sinks into the depths of the sea.
The saltiest water in the ocean is found in the tropical regions. This water is very warm and therefore not as dense as the cold and less salty water underneath. It remains on the surface of the ocean. Salt water moves with the help of winds.
Sometimes winds and shore contours link moving bodies of water together. The water is forced to flow faster, creating a current. Currents resemble rivers in the sea. The most famous current is the Gulf Stream, which was discovered by Benjamin Franklin. The Gulf Stream begins in the Atlantic Ocean near the equator.
The constant winds near the equator almost always blow from the east. They drive warm, salty water past the Caribbean islands into the vast gulf formed by the Florida peninsula and the east coast of the United States. The water accumulates here and then flows north to Cape Hatteras.
Here the Gulf Stream becomes narrow and flows quickly. Its speed is several kilometers per hour. The current here is less than 16 kilometers wide and about 550 meters deep. Like a river on earth, the Gulf Stream does not flow strictly straight, but meanders along the ocean surface. But, unlike a river, the Gulf Stream is not always in the same place, since it does not have a specific course.
Many surface currents, such as the Gulf Stream, have several other currents underneath them. They are called countercurrents. They move in the opposite direction, but along the same path as the main surface current.
The rotation of the Earth around its axis also affects the formation of currents.
