Circumpolar Current: Speed & Depth Through the Ages

  • Thread starter Thread starter kurious
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Current
AI Thread Summary
The Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC) extends from the sea surface to depths of 2000-4000 meters and can reach widths of up to 2000 kilometers. Its speed has varied significantly over geological time, particularly during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), which occurred between 24,000 and 15,000 years ago, when all ocean currents, including the ACC, experienced severe disruptions. The specific reasons for these changes in speed and flow patterns during this period are complex and may not align with common expectations.
kurious
Messages
633
Reaction score
0
How fast does the circumpolar current move and how much has its speed changed over the ages? Also, how deep is the current?
 
Earth sciences news on Phys.org
You mean the Antarctic circumpolar current?

The ACC extends from the sea surface to depths of 2000-4000 m and can be as wide as 2000 km

We know that all ocean currents were severely disrupted during the "Last Glacial Maximum" (LGM) somewhere between 24,000 and 15,000 years ago, including the http://www.awi-bremerhaven.de/Publications/Mac2000a_abstract.html , however the explanation for that may be surprising.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Hello, I’m currently writing a series of essays on Pangaea, continental drift, and Earth’s geological cycles. While working on my research, I’ve come across some inconsistencies in the existing theories — for example, why the main pressure seems to have been concentrated in the northern polar regions. So I’m curious: is there any data or evidence suggesting that an external cosmic body (an asteroid, comet, or another massive object) could have influenced Earth’s geology in the distant...
Thread 'The Secrets of Prof. Verschure's Rosetta Stones'
(Edit: since the thread title was changed, this first sentence is too cryptic: the original title referred to a Tool song....) Besides being a favorite song by a favorite band, the thread title is a straightforward play on words. This summer, as a present to myself for being promoted, I purchased a collection of thin sections that I believe comprise the research materials of Prof. Rob Verschure, who at the time was faculty in the Geological Institute in Amsterdam. What changed this...
Back
Top