Surface Ocean Currents: Temperature Map

[AngelShare]

I have to list the temperature (cold or warm, the black ones "are the same temperature as the current leading into it") of the following currents:

North Atlantic
Labrador (Newfoundland)
Oyashio (Japan)
Alaska
California
Gulf Stream
Canary (NWAfrica)
Kuroshio (Taiwan)
Peru
Brazil
Benguela (S. Africa)
East Australian Current
Antarctic Circumpolar Current

...and I've done all of them except for one...

Surface Ocean Current Map

I still have to find the temperature of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current. I've located it but I can't figure out which current is leading into it. I'm thinking that it's warm but I'm not totally sure...

 

[Astronuc]

From the map, it looks like the warmer South Pacific, South Atlantic and South Indian currents interact with the Antarctic Circumpolar Current, which interacts with the Antarctic Subpolar current, which is colder.

http://oceancurrents.rsmas.miami.edu/southern/antarctic-cp.html

http://www.parks.tas.gov.au/fahan_mi_shipwrecks/infohut/acc.htm

http://oceanworld.tamu.edu/resources/ocng_textbook/chapter13/chapter13_04.htm

 

[AngelShare]

First, look for similarities and/or patterns that you can develop for each group. Describe the patterns you find within each group of currents. What pattern do you see between the temperature of the current and where it is located?

I've looked and looked but I can't find a pattern...

Currents found from 90° north to 45° north:
Alaska
North Atlantic
Labrador
Oyashio

Currents found from 40° north to the equator:
California
Gulf Stream
Canary
Kuroshio

Currents found from the equator to 40° south:
Peru
Brazil
Benguela
East Australian Current

Currents found from 45° south to 90° south:
Antarctic Circumpolar Current

Now, I asked my teacher and he said, "You are on the right track. Look at similarities in regards to temperatures and the location of the currents. Also look at currents on the west vs. east coast and their temperatures. Also concentrate on the motion, clockwise or counter-clockwise of the various currents and their locations both in reference to the continents and the equator." However, I still can't see anything besides, "I can't see any similarities in the first group but the middle two (Currents found from 40° north to the equator and Currents found from the equator to 40° south) are all going the same direction. The currents found 40° north to the equator are going clockwise while the currents found from the equator to 40° south are going counter-clockwise."

 

[Astronuc]

Well, the warm currents generally move toward the polar regions, while the cold currents move toward the equator. Think about the coriolis effect as well.

Think about energy transfer.

You might also want to look at sites which discuss the "Ocean Conveyor" system, e.g.

http://www.grida.no/climate/vital/32.htm

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/06/0615_040614_SouthernOcean.html

http://www.whoi.edu/institutes/occi/currenttopics/abruptclimate_joyce_keigwin.html

http://www.whoi.edu/institutes/occi/currenttopics/ct_montoring_systems.htm

http://carto.eu.org/article2513.html

http://www.anl.gov/Media_Center/Frontiers/2003/d8ee.html

http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/phod/acvp/gray.htm

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2004/05mar_arctic.htm