Question

Look at the map of ocean current and answer the following:

1. How does the Humboldt current affect the climate of the South American coast?
2. In which oceans are counter equatorial currents not observed and why?
3. Which currents are absent in northern part of the Indian Ocean and why?
4. In which regions do the cold and warm ocean currents meet?

Answer 1

1. Since the cold Humboldt current flows near the coast of South America, the amount of precipitation there is reduced. Also, due to this, arid desert regions have been formed there.
2. Antiequatorial currents are not seen in the Indian Ocean, Southern Ocean and Arctic Ocean. Because these oceans are far from this current, equatorial currents flow only in the equatorial belt of the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean.
3. There are no cold currents in the northern Indian Ocean. The Indian Ocean is landlocked to the north. The equator divides this ocean into two parts, northern and southern. Monsoon winds have a major influence on this ocean. These winds change direction according to the season. Therefore, in the summer, the ocean currents in the northern Indian Ocean flow clockwise, while in the winter, they flow counterclockwise. Therefore, cold currents cannot reach there.
4. In the Atlantic Ocean, there are areas where warm and cold currents meet, such as the Grand Banks near the North American continent, the Dogger Bank near the European continent, and Newfoundland Island.