Hobbies And Interests
Global Temperatures
Currents control the temperatures of the ocean. The Gulf Stream acts as a coolant to North Atlantic waters by transporting warm surface waters that are high in salt content. The high salt content increases due to the formation of sea ice. The water mass becomes so dense that it sinks, creating an undertow. The undertow pulls new warm water from the Caribbean back up to the north. Scientists call the process "thermohaline circulation," and if the Gulf Stream currents suddenly ceased, catastrophic results would ensue on climate, monsoon behavior and trade wind systems.
Animal Life Cycles
Animals depend on ocean currents for temperature and travel. In "Finding Nemo," Crush the turtle rides the ocean currents like highways. In real life, leatherback turtles are not the only ones to use ocean currents to get from one place to another. Estuarine crocodiles use ocean currents to travel the oceans. In a report by the British Ecological Society's "Journal of Animal Ecology," many crocodiles began showing up in South Pacific islands, extending its habitat over 10,000 square kilometers, from the Southeast Pacific to East India to Fiji, then from southern China to North Australia. A crocodile traveled over 25 days using a current that starts in the Gulf of Carpentaria.
Ocean Current Energy
All over the world, ocean currents move in patterns and carry a great deal of water density. The energy of an ocean current moving at 12 miles per hour is the same as a force of wind moving at 110 miles per hour. Research in the United States, China, Japan and Europe indicates that ocean current energy is a new step towards conserving the planet's resources. In a report by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement, an estimated 1/1,000th of available energy generated from the Gulf Stream could account for 35 percent of necessary electricity for Florida. Research shows that by using submerged water turbines, ocean currents could generate enough energy to create energy for even more commercial electricity.
Sailing
Business and entertainment on the high seas relies on patterns of ocean currents. Ocean freight ships use the currents to reduce fuel costs, which lessens shipping costs for goods. Sailors also use the ocean currents. When sailing around African waters, Portuguese sailors use the northbound Benguela current, then travel back in the opposite direction with the southbound Agulhas. Currents also prevent movement, as some would rather not end up on currents such as Agulhas, which is deadly as it travels between land masses. The fastest current, the Gulf Stream, also has the capability of throwing sailors off track for days if caught in its forceful currents.