Agulhas Current, surface oceanic current
Where is Agulhas?
The Agulhas Current /əˈɡʌləs/ is
the western boundary current of the southwest Indian Ocean
. It flows south along the east coast of Africa from 27°S to 40°S. It is narrow, swift and strong.
What does the Agulhas Current do?
The Agulhas Current
transports warm tropical Indian Ocean water southwards along the South African coast
. It modulates the rainfall along the east coast and interior regions of South Africa by providing the latent heat of evaporation needed for onshore wind systems to pick up moisture and carry it inland.
Is the Agulhas Current Geostrophic?
As one of the major currents in the Southern Hemisphere, the Agulhas Current system transports
large volumes of water
. One of the earliest measurements of the geostrophic volume transport of this current came from Gordon (1985), who found it to be 67 Sv (1 Sv = 1 x 10
6
m
3
s
– 1
).
What are the currents around South Africa?
South Africa’s two prevailing currents —
Benguela and Algulhas
, which meet at the Cape of Good Hope — make it one of the most dynamic landscapes in the world. Nowhere else are two contrastingly different ecosystems found in such close proximity.
Can you swim at Cape Agulhas?
The sea is perfect for swimming or surfing
, thanks to its consistent waves. This is a rocky beach in places, which means that there are also loads of rock pools for little ones to explore for hours.
What are Agulhas current?
Agulhas Current, surface oceanic current that
forms the western boundary current of the southern Indian Ocean
. It flows southward along the southeast coast of Mozambique and the coast of South Africa before turning eastward to join the flow from Africa to Australia.
How fast is the Florida Current?
The Florida Current has an estimated mean transport of 30 Sv, varying seasonally and interannually by as much as 10 Sv. The volume transport increases as it flows farther north, reaching its maximum transport of 85 Sv near Cape Hatteras. The water reaches a velocity of
1.8 m/s or 3.6 knots
.
Is the Benguela current strong?
The Benguela Current
flows through a strong, biologically productive upwelling region
, and advects cool waters to the tropics. … However, two branches of the current do continue along the coast, and one of them joins the Angola Current at the Angola-Benguela front near 16°S (Wedepohl et al.
Is the California Current warm or cold?
The California Current is a
cold water
Pacific Ocean current that moves southward along the western coast of North America, beginning off southern British Columbia and ending off southern Baja California Sur.
What is the largest current in the world?
The Antarctic Circumpolar Current
is the largest current in the world. ‘It’s been estimated that this current is 110–150 times larger than all the water flowing in all the rivers of the world,’ says Dr Mike Williams.
What are the two currents?
The two basic types of currents –
surface and deep-water currents
– help define the character and flow of ocean waters across the planet.
What are the 3 major ocean currents?
The produce large circular currents in all the ocean basins. Currents,
The North Equatorial Current, the Gulf Stream, the North Atlantic Current, and the Canary Current
.
Is Cape Agulhas worth visiting?
Cape Agulhas is littered with shipwrecks along the coast. This one, the Meisho Maru lies in the Agulhas National Park. It’s
definitely a sight worth visiting
.
What’s special about Cape Agulhas?
Cape Agulhas has a
spectacular coastline
, consisting of a gradually curving coastline with rocky and sand beaches. A survey marker and a new ikon depicting the African continent are located at the most Southern tip of Africa.
What is the meaning of Agulhas?
noun. Cape Agulhas,
the southernmost point of Africa
.
