West Wind Drift
E97861
West Wind Drift is the powerful, continuous ocean current that flows eastward around Antarctica, encircling the continent and linking the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans.
Statements (46)
| Predicate | Object |
|---|---|
| instanceOf |
geophysical phenomenon
→
ocean current → surface current → |
| affects |
marine ecosystems in the Southern Ocean
→
sea ice distribution around Antarctica → |
| alsoKnownAs |
ACC
→
Antarctic Circumpolar Current → |
| associatedWith |
Antarctic Convergence
→
surface form:
Antarctic Polar Front
Subantarctic Front NERFINISHED → strong frontal systems → |
| boundedBy |
Antarctic coastal current system to the south
→
subtropical gyres of the Southern Hemisphere to the north → |
| characterizedBy | continuous flow around the globe without continental barriers → |
| connects |
Atlantic Ocean
→
Indian Ocean → Pacific Ocean NERFINISHED → |
| contributesTo |
global carbon cycle regulation
→
upwelling of deep water in the Southern Ocean → ventilation of the deep ocean → |
| drivenBy |
pressure gradients between ocean basins
→
westerly winds of the Southern Hemisphere → |
| encircles | Antarctica → |
| flowsDirection | eastward → |
| hasPart |
eddies and meanders
→
multiple jets and filaments → |
| hasProperty |
high current speeds compared to many other ocean currents
→
large volume transport measured in Sverdrups → |
| hasTemporalProperty | perennial current active year-round → |
| importantFor | navigation and shipping routes in the Southern Ocean → |
| influences |
exchange of water masses between Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans
→
global climate system → global ocean circulation → heat distribution between ocean basins → |
| interactsWith |
Antarctic Circumpolar Deep Water
→
Subantarctic Mode Water → |
| is | world’s largest ocean current by volume transport → |
| isExampleOf |
circumpolar current
→
wind-driven current → |
| locatedIn | Southern Ocean → |
| monitoredBy |
drifting buoys and Argo floats
→
satellite altimetry → |
| namedFor | prevailing west winds that drive it → |
| occursAtLatitude | mid to high southern latitudes → |
| playsRoleIn |
formation of Antarctic Bottom Water
→
meridional overturning circulation → |
| studiedIn | physical oceanography → |
Referenced by (3)
Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.
subject surface form:
Antarctic Circumpolar Current