21. Ocean Currents

The Atmosphere, the Ocean and Environmental Change (GG 140) The atmosphere forces the ocean in three ways: addition and removal of heat, precipitation and evaporation, and wind stress. The former two processes influence the density of sea water. Gravity acts on these density differences to cause large-scale thermohaline currents Wind driven ocean currents are forced by the wind stress acting on the ocean surface which indirectly causes geostrophic currents. 00:00 - Chapter 1. Review of Exam 2 23:54 - Chapter 2. Atmospheric Forcing of the Ocean: Wind Stress 29:38 - Chapter 3. Thermohaline Currents 48:03 - Chapter 4. Wind Driven Currents This course was recorded in Fall 2011.