Large marine currents move in a circular fashion through ocean basins and this movement is known as an ocean gyre. There are two reasons that provoke its rotations: the effect of the wind and the action of the centrifugal force associated with the Earth’s rotational movement. Oceanic Gyre
The Humboldt Current or Peru Current is an example of an oceanic gyre
On the western coasts of South America, deep waters that are at low temperatures rise to the surface. This type of movement was first described by the German naturalist Alexander von Humboldt in the early 19th century in his work “Journey to the equinoctial regions of the New Continent “. Oceanic Gyre
The Peru current displaces cold water causing a significant drop in water temperature in other coastal regions (this change in temperature is noteworthy because it does not correspond to geographic latitude). Another of its effects is to limit water evaporation.
Marine currents connect all of the planet’s oceans
The current system plays an important role in the sustainability of the planet, since in its movement they incorporate nutrients and oxygen throughout the oceans. At the same time, they transport heat and this circumstance affects climate change (this can be observed by thermosensitive cameras on the ocean floor ).
Although the warmest waters are found at the equator, the current network distributes heat across the planet. It can be said, in short, that the oceanic gyres work as a central heating system of great magnitude.
Oceanography is the scientific discipline that studies oceanic gyres
Marine currents, wave flow, tides and temperature transmission are all aspects of physical oceanography. These physical processes have a direct impact on the climate and living things. Oceanic Gyre
Chemical oceanography studies the composition of marine molecules and this branch is relevant because it allows us to better understand the effects of marine contamination across the planet.
Biological specialization studies living organisms and their relationship with the aquatic environment. In this sense, it is worth remembering two relevant data: that more than 90% of all living organisms inhabit the oceans and that 70% of the Earth’s surface is composed of water. Oceanic Gyre
Finally, in geological terms, processes related to this branch that affect the oceans are studied, such as the creation of relief or the formation of the seabed. Regarding the knowledge of the geology of the oceans, it is noteworthy that humans have more cartographic information about the Moon and Mars. Oceanic Gyre
