The surface circulation in the southern Indian Ocean is similar 



to the circulation in the southern Atlantic and southern Pacific 



Oceans. It consists of a counter-clockwise gyre which occupies the 



central part of the ocean "between Australia and Madagascar and is 



bounded on the south by the West Wind Drift. The northern part of 



the gyre is formed by the westward flowing South Equatorial Current 



which extends across the ocean between 20°S and 6°S. The speed of 



this current varies in response to the strength of the South-East 



Trade Winds but continues to the west throughout the year. When 



this current reaches the shore of Africa it supplies both the 



Equatorial Counter Current to the north and the Agulhas Current 



which flows south between the coast of Africa and Madagascar. The 



Agulhas Current is confined to about 100 kilometers in width and 



when it reaches the southern tip of Africa^ part of the current 



turns east into the West Wind Drift of the Circumpolar Current and 



part turns into the Atlantic to form the Benguela Current. During 



the southwest monsoon the branch of the South Equatorial Current 

 vhich turns north at the coast of Africa forms the powerful stream 



of the Somali Current. This current is set north along the east 

 coast of Africa and continues into the Arabian Sea. It is remark- 

 able for its high velocity of about 200 cm/sec. which is comparable 



to the speed of the Florida Cirrrent.^ 



The counter-clockwise gyre is completed on the eastern side of 



the ocean by a current which flows northward along the west coast of 



Australia. This current receives its supply from a part of the 



West Wind Drift which is deflected northward and from water which 



flows along the south coast of Australia. 



George L. Pickard^ Descriptive Physical Oceanography (Tlie 

 MacMillan Company, New York, l9o3j, pp. 1Y3-1Y>. 



47 



