What Are Currents And Why Are They Important?

Hi Friend! We are back for another back-to-the-basics blog! Today we are learning about currents what they are, how important they are, and how we are changing them.

What are currents?

Perhaps when you think of ocean currents you think of the movement of the ocean? Maybe you think of ocean waves? NOAA (National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration) describes it as driven by winds, water density differences, and tides. Many of us are familiar with ocean tides we see and experience them when we are on the shore on beaches. A tide is a form of a current, called a tidal current. As a child, you likely chased the tide as it was moving in and out of the beach. Tides are influences also by the gravitational pull of the moon and sun but when we are talking about ocean currents there is more at play. Ocean currents are driven by the wind from the surface as well as from below called upwelling. It is also driven by the density of the water this is really describing the temperature and salinity of the water. You’ve probably done an experiment in a science class where you tested this. The more salt you add to water the denser it is meaning it sinks. Similarly cold water sinks. The opposite is true for warm and less salty water.

How are they important?

Understanding how currents work is very important. Tides are important because they can change the environment drastically. This helps fisherman whether they should pass a section of water at a certain time because of the rise and fall of the water. Certain times of the day these areas may be dry with no water, called low tide or full of water, called high tide. Communities that live near the coast need to know this if passing a bridge in the area. Understanding oceanic tides can help us learn how our bodies of water are moving. This is also helpful for when storms are coming.

How are they changing?

With the changing of the ocean temperature, this seems to be a possibility for varying currents. I mentioned earlier how salinity and temperature play a role. If the burning of fossil fuels continues the greenhouse gases will continue to be trapped and warm our planet including the ocean. Ocean warming is already melting the glaciers at the poles which are important when it comes to currents as well as the salinity involved. That is why it is important for us to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions.

What can I do?

It’s important to realize this moment in history we are still in a position to lead us to a good future. We all need to reduce our personal carbon footprint but more importantly ask those producing high amounts of emission to stop (factories, oil companies, large buildings). A simple way is to sign petitions that ask them to use green energy or other alternatives.

I hope you found this blog helpful if you did please consider sharing it with a friend.