Currents of the Atlantic Ocean

          In the equatorial belt of the Atlantic Ocean the two most important currents are the North Equatorial Current and the South Equatorial Current. These are caused by the trade winds and the latter is divided into two parts by the South American continent. The northern current is divided into two parts near the West Indies. Its northern section is known as the Bahamas Current and the other portion is known as the Caribbean current.
         
          In the South Atlantic area, the coast of Brazil is washed by a warm Brazilian Current which begins to flow eastwards after 400 South latitude therefore it is known as

          But the currents of North Atlantic region are the most important. The two most important are the warm Gulf Stream and the cold Labrador Current.

          Gulf Stream is the most important current of the Atlantic Ocean and takes its birth from the Gulf of Mexico, where the waters of the Caribbean branch of the North Equatorial current are accumulated. This accumulation of water is further increased by the meeting of the rivers of the Mississippi-Missouri system. This accumulated water gushes forth from the Straits of Florida, and as it leaves the Gulf of Mexico it is only half a mile deep and 30 miles wide. It contains two-fifths of the waters of the North Equatorial current and has an overall speed of three to five miles an hour. Its surface temperature is about 800 F.
         
          As soon as it reaches the mid-Atlantic, it widens out. Thereby it becomes shallower and cooler. Its speed also falls to one mile per hour and it is known as the North Atlantic Drift. At about 400 North latitude, it is divided into two parts. One branch moves on towards the north and after passing round the British Isles, it washes the shores of Norway till it reaches the Artic Ocean and ends. The other branch travels eastward towards Spain where it branches off into two portions-one part moving towards the south as the Canaries Current and the other flows past Western Europe, till it joins the North Atlantic Drift.

          The Gulf Stream is so warm that its warming effect is also noticeable in the Artic Ocean. It modifies the temperature of the cold regions that it washes, does not allow the waters of the ocean it passes to freeze and supplies the winds that blow over them with warmth and moisture so that when they reach the continents, they are able to bring enough rainfall. The British Isles and Western Europe derive the greatest benefit from these warm currents directly through North Atlantic Drift and indirectly through the westerly that reach the continent after having passed over them.