Why do the direction of the South Equatorial Current changes?

Why do the direction of the South Equatorial Current changes?

Three factors that affect surface ocean currents are continental deflections, the coriolis effect, and global winds. The direction of the South Equatorial current changes because of the continental deflection.

Why does the South Equatorial Current split in the South Atlantic gyre?

The Atlantic South Equatorial Current is pushed westward by the Southeast Trade Winds (latitude 0°–20° S). Approaching Cape St. Roque, Brazil, it divides. One stream goes north as the Guiana Current, which in turn feeds the Caribbean Current, the equatorial countercurrents, and the Guinea Current.

What happens to the South Equatorial Current during El Nino?

During an El Nino, the warm water in the eastern Pacific spreads to the west coast of the Americas and splits to flow north and south there. The normal upwelling off northern Peru weakens and also draws up only warm, nutrient-poor equatorial water. Sea level is especially high in the western Pacific.

What direction does the South Equatorial Current Flow?

The South Equatorial Current are ocean currents in the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Ocean that flow east-to-west between the equator and about 20 degrees south.

What direction does the North Equatorial current flow?

flow direction … northeast monsoon (November–March), the Indian North Equatorial Current (or Northeast Monsoon Drift) flows southwest and west, crossing the Equator.

What does the South Equatorial Current do?

It continually replaces seawater at depth with water from the surface and slowly replaces surface water elsewhere with water rising from deeper depths.

Where does the South Equatorial Current go?

The South Equatorial Current are ocean currents in the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Ocean that flow east-to-west between the equator and about 20 degrees south. In the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, it extends across the equator to about 5 degrees north.

Why does equatorial counter current flow from west to east?

This is will decided by the direction of Earth’s rotation. Earth rotates from west to east, so the piled up water due to earth’s rotation will come down on its eastern side and will thus flow in the eastward direction.

Why does a counter equatorial current flow between north and south equatorial currents?

deeper than it is directly to the north. The excess water flows eastward under the influence of the Earth’s rotation, giving rise to the equatorial countercurrents.

Why does the direction of the South Equatorial Current Change?

South Equatorial Current is a broad, westward flowing current which can be divided into three branches: The Southern South Equatorial Current, the Central South Equatorial Current, and the Northern South Equatorial Current. The reason why the direction of the South Equatorial Current changes is because it deflects off the eastern edge…

Which is the primary basin scale surface ciculation in the equatorial Atlantic?

The SEC is a broad westward flow that is the primary basin-scale surface ciculation in the equatorial Atlantic. Click here for example plots of seasonal averages . The South Equatorial Current (SEC) is a broad, westward flowing current that extends from the surface to a nominal depth of 100 m.

What are the seasonal changes in the South Atlantic?

Seasonal changes of dynamic topography on the sea surface relative to 500 dbar between 20°S and 30°N were studied by Merle and Arnault (1985). They found only a small variability in dynamic topography in the central and western South Atlantic north of 20°S.

When does surface flow above the seuc begin?

Surface flow above the SEUC is to the east during austral summer (November to early March) and to the west during July and August. At 3°S, the SEUC is found as a subsurface current between 100 m and 1000 m while the surface flow is directed eastward again.