Where do all cold and warm ocean currents originate?

Ocean Currents - continential slope of Southern California

• I want to get actual data (or information as to where I can get the data) for the ocean currents of the Pacific Ocean on the continental slope. Specifically, I am interesed in finding, if possible, data as to ocean currents at the level of the sea floor and up to about 50 meters above the sea floor on the continental slope in water depths of about 400 meters. I believe the main current in this are is called the California Undercurrent, but not too sure. Data off of the San Diego coast is most preferred. Background informatin would be helpful, but is not enough to answer my question.

• Answer:

  Hi oceanmark, I hope you find the following links just what you are looking for - pay particular attention to number 2. 1. The California Undercurrent explained: "Tanner Basin is primarily influenced by the southerly flowing California Current (Fig. 1) (Reid et al., 1958). The inner edge of the California Current flows along the outer periphery of the Borderland (except during spring) and turns toward the coast near San Diego. The average surface flow in the central portion of the Borderland is the northerly flowing southern California Countercurrent (Fig. 1). The northern Channel Islands substantially block this flow, and much of the current is diverted to the west, where it merges with the California Current (Lynn and Simpson, 1987). This results in the formation of a counterclockwise-flowing gyre in the southern California bight (except during spring). The net flow beneath these two currents is the northward-flowing California Undercurrent (Lynn and Simpson, 1987; Reid et al., 1958)." http://www-odp.tamu.edu/publications/167_SR/chap_07/c7_2.htm 2. Data and figures: The California Current System Comparison of Geostrophic Currents, ADCP Currents and Satellite Altimetry LCDR David O. Neander, NOAA : http://www.weather.nps.navy.mil/~psguest/OC3570/CDROM/summer2001/Neander/report.pdf 3. Current Patterns Over the Continental Shelf and Slope Marlene A. Noble http://geopubs.wr.usgs.gov/circular/c1198/chapters/067-089_CurrentPatterns.pdf. 4. Seasonal dynamics of the surface circulation in the Southern California Current System Emanuele Di Lorenzo http://horizon.ucsd.edu/manu/papers/DiLorenzo_2002.pdf. 5. The warming of the California Current System: Dynamics, thermodynamics and ecosystem implications Emanuele Di Lorenzo and Arthur J. Miller http://horizon.ucsd.edu/manu/papers/DiLorenzo_jpo2003.pdf. 6. U.S. GLOBEC Global Ocean Ecosystems Dynamics A Component of the U.S. Global Change Research Program Eastern Boundary Current Program Report on Climate Change and the California Current Ecosystem http://www.usglobec.org/reports/reports.pdf.files/ebcccs.pdf. Additional Links: Southern California Buoy Data: http://facs.scripps.edu/surf/socal.html The Coastal Data Information Program (CDIP) http://cdip.ucsd.edu/ Center for Coastal Studies University of California, San Diego http://www-ccs.ucsd.edu/ I hope this helps. If you have any questions or if this doesn't satisfy your request, please post a clarification request before rating my answer. Thank you, hummer Search Strategy: ://www.google.ca/search?num=100&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&as_qdr=all&q=ocean+currents+%22Pacific+Ocean%22+%22California+Undercurrent%22&btnG=Google+Search&meta= Terms Used: ocean currents "Pacific Ocean" "California Undercurrent"