Answer:
An ocean current is a continuous, directed movement of seawater generated by forces acting upon this mean flow, such as breaking waves, wind, the Coriolis effect, cabbeling, and temperature and salinity differences. Features like depth contours, shoreline configurations, and interactions with other currents also influence an ocean current’s direction and strength. Ocean currents flow for great distances, and together, create the global conveyor belt that plays a dominant role in determining the climate of many of the Earth’s regions (illustrated in the NASA video below). For example, the Gulf Stream makes northwest Europe much more temperate than any other region at the same latitude. Another example is Lima, Peru where the climate is cooler than the tropical latitudes in which the area is located, due to the effect of the Humboldt Current. Ocean modelling uses a mathematical model of the general circulation of an ocean, based on the Navier–Stokes equations on a rotating sphere with thermodynamic terms for various energy sources (radiation, latent heat). These equations are the basis for complex computer programs commonly used for simulating the atmosphere or ocean of the Earth.
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