How does the North Pacific Gyre work?

How does the North Pacific Gyre work?

Three forces cause the circulation of a gyre: global wind patterns, Earth’s rotation, and Earth’s landmasses. Wind drags on the ocean surface, causing water to move in the direction the wind is blowing. In the Northern Hemisphere, ocean currents are deflected to the right, in a clockwise motion.

Why does the N Pacific gyre flow clockwise?

Ocean gyres in the Northern hemisphere rotate clockwise and gyres in the Southern hemisphere rotate counter-clockwise due to the Coriolis effect. When winds slack off and the gyre weakens, fresh water leaks out of the gyre and into the North Atlantic Ocean.

What currents make up the North Pacific Gyre?

The North Pacific Subtropical Gyre is formed by four currents rotating clockwise around an area of 20 million square kilometers (7.7 million square miles): the California current, the North Equatorial current, the Kuroshio current, and the North Pacific current.

What is gyre circulation?

In oceanography, a gyre (/ˈdʒaɪər/) is any large system of circulating ocean currents, particularly those involved with large wind movements. Gyres are caused by the Coriolis effect; planetary vorticity, horizontal friction and vertical friction determine the circulatory patterns from the wind stress curl (torque).

Why is North Pacific Gyre important?

This gyre covers most of the northern Pacific Ocean. It is the largest ecosystem on Earth, located between the equator and 50° N latitude, and comprising 20 million square kilometers. It is the site of an unusually intense collection of man-made marine debris, known as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.

Which direction does the North Pacific Gyre flow?

The major gyre in the North Pacific Ocean is called the North Pacific gyre. This gyre is bounded by the North Equatorial Current, which moves northeastward along the western side of the North Pacific gyre.

How are gyres formed?

Gyres are created by three forces: the rotation of the Earth, wind patterns, and the landmasses of the Earth. The wind blows across the ocean’s surface, causing the water to move in the direction of the wind. As part of the Coriolis effect, the earth’s rotation counteracts the movement of the wind.

Which way does the South Pacific Gyre flow?

counterclockwise
Earth’s trade winds and Coriolis force cause the ocean currents in South Pacific Ocean to circulate counterclockwise.

How far does the North Pacific Gyre reach?

The Central North Pacific Gyre would be at 5,523 miles. A possible estimation of the surface area could be 110,457.2 in statue miles. 3. If the surface of the California Current flows at approximately 1 km per hour, how far will a piece of marine debris move in 1 week?

How long does the North Pacific Gyre take to complete a circuit?

It takes 1000-2000 years to complete the circuit shown in the figure below. When warm, salty surface waters get far enough north or south toward the poles, winds cool the surface, evaporate the water, and initiate freezing.

What type of circulation is the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre?

Subtropical circulation in the North Pacific. Like all subtropical gyre systems, the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre is an anticyclone meaning the circulation is in a clockwise direction around its high pressure at the center because of its placement in the Northern Hemisphere.

Which ocean currents are involved in the circulation of the gyres?

Significant ocean currents involved in the circulation of the North Pacific Subtropical and Subpolar gyres. The North Pacific Gyre (NPG) or North Pacific Subtropical Gyre (NPSG), located in the northern Pacific Ocean, is one of the five major oceanic gyres. This gyre covers most of the northern Pacific Ocean.

What is the difference between the Indian Ocean gyre and South Pacific Gyre?

It is bound ed only by the continents of Australia and South America, as well as the Equator and powerful Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC). In contrast, the northern Indian Ocean Gyre is a much smaller ocean gyre. Unlike the South Pacific Gyre, its extent is determine d largely by landmasses.

What direction does the North Pacific current flow?

The North Pacific Current is located just north of the subtropical gyre and flows in an easterly direction. Also, known as the West Wind Drift or the Subarctic Current, the North Pacific Current also includes the westward flow of the southern boundary of the North Pacific subpolar gyre.