Visualizing Surface and Deep Current Flows

You have learned how the unequal heating of Earth and the resulting winds and differences in sea surface temperature, salinity, and density contribute to overturning circulation in the ocean.

The following videos show models of ocean currents at the surface and at 2,000 meters (about 6,500 feet) below the surface. The computer-generated models use data from remote-sensing satellites and direct ocean measurements to represent the best estimate of ocean current flow at different depths. The passage of time in each video is about a year and a half.

Observe the movement of currents in both videos, which focus on the North Atlantic. Expand the videos to full screen to observe the currents in detail. Note the overall northward movement of surface currents along the western boundary of the North Atlantic basin (along the east coast of North America). In the deep ocean, while the general southward flow is visible in many places along the western Atlantic boundary, the flow is not continuous or limited to one pathway: deep waters circulate along many pathways, with eddies playing an important role.