OCEAN CURRENTS 22,-7 



of the Parry Archipelago, eastward to Baffin Bay, and south to 

 Davis Straits, where it becomes part of the Labrador current, 

 which is further fed by recurving waters of the West Greenland 

 current. ( See maps, Krummel-42 : (5(5j.) 



The Pacific Ocean. The currents of this ocean conform more 

 nearly to the typical arrangement sketched at the beginning than do 

 those of any other terrestrial ocean. The North Equatorial stream, 

 driven by the northeast trade winds, crosses the entire ocean from 

 east to west (S. 87° W. ), a distance of 7,500 nautical miles, with an 

 average velocity of 14.5 nautical miles in 24 hours, 31.08 cm. per 

 second or 1.12 km. per hour, and with a high percentage of stability. 

 The southern border of this stream lies 10° north of the Equator in 

 summer, and 5° in winter. East of the Philippines, the current 

 turns north, increasing its velocity to 30 or even 50 nautical miles 

 per day. The main body goes north to form the Kuroshiwo or 

 Japan current, which, skirting Japan, gives rise to the North 

 Pacific West- wind drift and bends southward again on the West 

 American coast as the California current. This replaces the waters 

 carried westward in the North Equatorial current under the influ- 

 ence of the northeast trade wind, and corresponds to the Canaries 

 current of the North Atlantic. A smaller part of the North Equa- 

 torial stream bends off through the Ballingtang channel north of the 

 Philippines into the China Sea, where, especially in winter, during 

 the period of the northeast monsoon, it adds a considerable amount 

 to the cyclonal circulation of that mediterranean. Finally, large 

 parts of the current become reversed, especially in summer, to form 

 part of the Equatorial Counter current. The South Equatorial cur- 

 rent is much stronger than the northern, velocities of 20 nautical 

 miles per day being normal, velocities of 40 or 50 not uncom- 

 mon in all seasons, while occasional velocities of 70, 80, or even 

 more than 100 nautical miles in 24 hours have been recorded. The 

 greatest velocity is in its northern part, near or north of the 

 Equator, especially in the eastern region, and here the rapid move- 

 ment brings about a welling up of the colder, deeper waters as 

 clearly indicated by the tongue-like drawing out of the isotherms 

 west of the Galapagos Islands on the temperature chart of the 

 Pacific. The length of this stream is about 8,500 nautical miles ; 

 its northern border may reach to 1° or 2° north of the Equator. 

 Opposite the Molucca Straits the northern part of the stream bends 

 northward and, recurving, produces its part of the Equatorial 

 Counter current. The greater part, however, flows southward along 

 the Australian coast, and constitutes the East Australian current. 

 This in part disposes of the excess of water driven against this 



