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  1. What causes ocean currents? - NOAA Ocean Exploration

    Feb 11, 2013 · What causes ocean currents? Ocean currents can be caused by wind, density differences in water masses caused by temperature and salinity variations, gravity, and events …

  2. Ocean Currents - Education

    Oct 19, 2023 · The winds pull surface water with them, creating currents. As these currents flow westward, the Coriolis effect —a force that results from the rotation of the Earth—deflects …

  3. Ocean current | Distribution, Causes, & Types | Britannica

    Oct 14, 2025 · Ocean current, stream made up of horizontal and vertical components of the circulation system of ocean waters that is produced by gravity, wind friction, and water density …

  4. Geo explainer: Ocean currents – how do they work & why are …

    Oct 17, 2024 · How do ocean currents form? Ocean currents are formed due to three key factors: the rise and fall of tides, wind and thermohaline circulation – a process caused by density …

  5. What Causes the Ocean Currents? - The Institute for …

    Jun 15, 2025 · What Causes the Ocean Currents? Ocean currents are primarily driven by solar heating, wind, and differences in water density resulting from variations in temperature and …

  6. Ocean Currents: Types, Causes and Importance - Next IAS

    Apr 16, 2025 · Ocean currents are large-scale flows of seawater that move continuously through the world’s oceans. These currents are primarily driven by wind, Earth’s rotation (Coriolis …

  7. Ocean Currents Explained: The Powerful Forces Shaping Our Seas

    Ocean currents play a vital role in regulating Earth’s climate, distributing nutrients, and supporting marine ecosystems. These powerful forces are driven by a complex interplay of wind, …

  8. Currents, Waves, and Tides | Smithsonian Ocean

    At the surface, currents are mainly driven by four factors—wind, the Sun’s radiation, gravity, and Earth’s rotation. All of these factors are interconnected. The Sun’s radiation creates prevailing …

  9. Ocean currents - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

    Sep 25, 2025 · Winds, water density, and tides all drive ocean currents. Coastal and sea floor features influence their location, direction, and speed. Earth’s rotation results in the Coriolis …

  10. Currents, Gyres, & Eddies - Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

    Jul 1, 2025 · They are formed primarily by wind blowing across the surface of the ocean and by differences in the temperature, density and pressure of water and are steered by Earth's …