Agulhas Current

E48426

The Agulhas Current is a powerful western boundary ocean current that flows southward along the southeast coast of Africa, transporting warm, saline water from the tropical Indian Ocean toward the Atlantic.

Jump to: Surface forms Statements Referenced by

Observed surface forms (2)

Surface form Occurrences
Agulhas Current system 1
Agulhas leakage 1

Statements (48)

Predicate Object
instanceOf ocean current
surface current
western boundary current
affects marine ecosystems off South Africa
regional fisheries
associatedWith Agulhas Retroflection
surface form: Agulhas Return Current

Agulhas leakage eddies
boundedBy continental slope of South Africa
characterizedBy high salinity
high temperature
narrow jet-like structure
strong flow
contributesTo Agulhas Current self-linksurface differs
surface form: Agulhas leakage

Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation
discoveredBy Portuguese navigators
entersOcean South Atlantic
surface form: South Atlantic Ocean
flowsAlong east coast of South Africa
southeast coast of Africa
flowsDirection southward
formsBoundaryBetween Indian Ocean and Atlantic Ocean water masses
formsFeature Agulhas Retroflection
Agulhas Retroflection
surface form: Agulhas Rings
hasRole heat transport from Indian Ocean to Atlantic Ocean
salt transport from Indian Ocean to Atlantic Ocean
hasTypicalWaterMass Indian Ocean Central Water
Subtropical Surface Water
influences climate of South Atlantic region
climate of southern Africa
global climate system
isAnalogOf Gulf Stream
Kuroshio Current
isMajorPathwayFor interocean exchange of heat
interocean exchange of salt
locatedIn Indian Ocean
Southwest Indian Ocean
monitoredBy drifters
moored current meters
satellite altimetry
namedAfter Cape Agulhas
originatesFrom tropical Indian Ocean
partOf Indo-Atlantic interocean exchange
global ocean circulation
retroflexesNear Cape of Good Hope
studiedBy physical oceanography
terminatesNear Agulhas Bank
transports saline water
warm water
westernBoundaryOf Indian Ocean subtropical gyre
surface form: Southwest Indian Ocean subtropical gyre

Referenced by (8)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Indian Ocean subtropical gyre boundedBy Agulhas Current
Agulhas Current contributesTo Agulhas Current self-linksurface differs
this entity surface form: Agulhas leakage
Mozambique Channel hasCurrent Agulhas Current
this entity surface form: Agulhas Current system
Indian Ocean hasMajorCurrent Agulhas Current
Cape of Good Hope nearbyOceanCurrent Agulhas Current
Port Elizabeth oceanCurrentInfluence Agulhas Current
Loop Current relatedTo Agulhas Current