What function do the wind-driven currents play in the transport of heat energy in the oceans?
Wind driven currents (like the gulf stream for example) originate in the equatorial and warm areas of the earths oceans. The currents then carry the warm water north, where the heat in the water is lost to the colder atmosphere. In the example of the gulf stream, this transfer of heat to the air warms up England and Europe. As the water cools, its’ density increases due to cooling and increasing salinity. This cold water sinks to the bottom of the ocean, where it is then moved by another current (the North Atlantic current, I think) back south, like a train making a big circuit. Hope this helps a little…
