Ocean currents are large-scale, persistent movements of seawater driven primarily by wind stress, density gradients (thermohaline circulation), Earth’s rotation, and basin geometry. They form interconnected surface and deep circulatory systems that redistribute heat, salt, nutrients, and dissolved gases across ocean basins. Major surface currents, organized into gyres, are largely wind-driven and Coriolis-deflected, while deep currents follow density-controlled pathways linked to water mass formation at high latitudes. Ocean currents modulate regional and global climate, influence marine biogeochemical cycles, and are central to coupled ocean–atmosphere dynamics represented in numerical circulation and climate models.
In order to understand currents, tides and other ocean dynamics, scientists need to accurately capture sea surface height, or a snapshot of the ocean's surface, including peaks and valleys due to changes in wind, currents ...
Earth Sciences
Jan 9, 2026
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When oily plastic and glass, as well as rubber, washed onto Florida beaches in 2020, a community group shared the mystery online, attracting scientists' attention. Working together, they linked the black residue-coated debris ...
Environment
Jan 7, 2026
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A research team led by scientists at Kumamoto University has discovered a new genus of microscopic crustaceans from northern Japan, offering rare insights into how ocean currents in the North Pacific shifted during a key ...
Paleontology & Fossils
Dec 29, 2025
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Stanford researchers have uncovered evidence that deep underwater earthquakes can spur the growth of massive phytoplankton blooms at the ocean surface.
Earth Sciences
Dec 18, 2025
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New research reveals how ocean warming triggered the large-scale retreat of the Northeast Greenland Ice Stream (NEGIS)—offering vital clues for understanding its modern-day vulnerability.
Earth Sciences
Dec 17, 2025
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New research reveals how the speed of ocean currents and the shape of the seabed influence the amount of heat flowing underneath Antarctic ice shelves, contributing to melting.
Earth Sciences
Dec 9, 2025
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The ocean is saturated with microplastics. While we know the location of the great garbage patches, where plastic particles may accumulate below the ocean surface remains unknown. The vastness of the ocean means particle ...
Earth Sciences
Dec 9, 2025
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Scientists have uncovered how changing ocean currents in South Georgia's fjords could affect the survival of young mackerel icefish. The species is a key component of the island's rich marine ecosystem and is an important ...
Ecology
Dec 4, 2025
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The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), a system of Atlantic Ocean currents that redistributes heat and nutrients between the tropics and the North Atlantic, is one of the planet's tipping points. That means ...
What drives a wealthy Danish-Norwegian general to delve into ship's logs and become almost obsessed with understanding ocean currents in the 1800s? And why has this amateur researcher remained unknown until now?
Earth Sciences
Oct 31, 2025
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