This glossary provides short definitions of the oceanographic jargon used to describe ocean surface currents. It is designed to accompany the website "Ocean Surface Currents", a reference that provides information on surface currents in the world's oceans. Full description.

In this activity, students create a model ocean over which "wind" will be blown, and observe the relationship between the wind and the resulting ocean surface currents. The activity reinforces the concept that surface currents in the ocean are mostly caused by wind. A materials list and instructions are provided, and links to a glossary are embedded in the text. Full description.

This activity will help students to understand how ocean scientists and the Coast Guard determine how the currents on the surface of the ocean are moving. Students will learn how to read vector images of real-time Coastal Ocean Dynamic Application Radar (CODAR) data, and use this knowledge to locate a lost ship off the New Jersey coast. They will apply their knowledge of vectors, surface currents ... Full description.

A joint effort of NOAA Research and the College of Education at the University of South Alabama, this site seeks to provide middle school science students and teachers with research and investigation experiences using on-line resources. It contains activities pertaining to ocean currents (their properties and influence on weather and sea life). Students gather data from other websites, apply the data ... Full description.

This page provides links to maps and summary information about thirty-two named surface currents in the Atlantic Ocean. Each current subpage provides summary text detailing velocity and hydrographic observations, plots such as average current speed, drifting buoy positions, sea surface temperature maps, and HYbrid Coordinate Ocean Model (HYCOM) simulations. Links are also provided to flow diagrams, ... Full description.

Abandoned ships and other objects lost at sea may ride ocean currents for months or even years before sinking or washing ashore. This video segment, adapted from a NOVA broadcast, describes how scientists at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute plotted the trajectories of abandoned sailing ships, whose positions were reported by 19th century sea captains. The tracks of these derelict ships reveal ... Full description.

This tutorial provides an overview of some of the major factors that cause coastal and open ocean currents. Topics include longshore and rip currents, and upwelling events, as well as discussions of the Coriolis effect, the Ekman spiral, and thermohaline circulation. There is also information on methods for measuring currents and on how ocean currents affect human activities. The 'Roadmap to Resources' ... Full description.

In this activity, students will use newly acquired knowledge of reading vector images of real-time Coastal Ocean Dynamics Application Radar (CODAR) data to predict the movement of a phytoplankton bloom off the coast of New Jersey. They will discover that plankton, the microscopic plants and animals floating in the ocean, are the base of the complex food webs that support life in the ocean, and for ... Full description.

This resource uses text, images, maps and a laboratory exercise to explain how differences in the temperature and salinity of ocean water cause the formation of deep-ocean currents. It is part of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory's "Ocean Surface Topography from Space" website. This material is also available on the "Visit to An Ocean Planet" CD-ROM. Full description.

This document provides a brief description of the major currents and general circulation patterns of the world's oceans. Links to animations showing satellite imagery of ocean-surface topography and temperature are included. Links to references are embedded in the text. Full description.