Antarctic Circumpolar Current
E17552
The Antarctic Circumpolar Current is the powerful, continuous ocean current that flows eastward around Antarctica, connecting the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans and playing a key role in global climate and ocean circulation.
Aliases (3)
Statements (47)
| Predicate | Object |
|---|---|
| instanceOf |
circumpolar current
→
ocean current → physical oceanographic feature → |
| affectedBy |
Southern Annular Mode variability
→
climate change → |
| alsoKnownAs |
ACC
→
West Wind Drift → |
| associatedWith |
Antarctic Polar Front
→
Subantarctic Front → multiple oceanic fronts and jets → |
| connects |
Atlantic Ocean
→
Indian Ocean → Pacific Ocean → |
| contributesTo |
isolation of Antarctica from warmer subtropical waters
→
maintenance of Antarctic ice sheet by thermal isolation → |
| drivenBy |
density gradients in the Southern Ocean
→
strong westerly winds → |
| encircles |
Antarctica
→
|
| flowsDirection |
eastward
→
|
| hasApproximateLatitudeRange |
between about 40°S and 65°S
→
|
| hasApproximateTransport |
100 to 150 Sverdrups
→
about 100 million cubic meters per second or more → |
| hasDepthExtent |
from surface to more than 3000 meters depth in places
→
|
| hasHistoricalNameOrigin |
named for its circumpolar flow around Antarctica
→
|
| hasKeyRegion |
Drake Passage
→
south of Africa → south of Australia → south of New Zealand → |
| hasTypicalSurfaceSpeed |
up to several tens of centimeters per second
→
|
| influences |
Antarctic climate
→
Southern Ocean ecosystems → global carbon cycle → |
| interactsWith |
Antarctic Bottom Water formation
→
North Atlantic Deep Water inflow → |
| isImportantFor |
global nutrient distribution
→
upwelling of deep waters in the Southern Ocean → |
| isLargestCurrentBy |
volume transport
→
|
| isOnlyCurrentThat |
flows completely around the globe without continental interruption
→
|
| locatedIn |
Southern Ocean
→
|
| monitoredBy |
Argo floats
→
satellite altimetry → ship-based hydrographic sections → |
| playsRoleIn |
exchange of water masses between Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans
→
global climate regulation → global thermohaline circulation → heat redistribution between ocean basins → |
| studiedInDiscipline |
physical oceanography
→
|