Atlantic South Equatorial Current 
Of the two equatorial currents in the Atlantic, the Atlantic 
South Equatorial Current is the stronger and more extensive. ‘The 
limits of this current are shown in Figure 6. The major part of 
the current is located south of the Equator, the central portion extend- 
ing to about 20°S. The light shading shows the northern limit of the 
current during July, August, and September, as well as the region of 
fastest current where speeds average from 1.0 to 1.5 knots during the 
year. The dark shading shows how the current expands during January, 
February, and March, when the Atlantic Equatorial Countercurrent 
dissipates and is least evident. 
Table 5 shows average principal seasonal variations for repre- 
sentative areas of the current. In Region A the flow is slightly faster 
and more persistent westward during the northern summer; in Region B there 
appears to be the least variation in speed and frequency; in Region ¢ 
there is a slightly greater seasonal change in direction, speeds are 
higher during the northern summer, and the percent of observations 
setting in the prevailing direction is the same during both seasons. 
Although not shown in the table, a total of 640 observations in Region 
C shows the percent of observations in the lower speed group between 0.1 
and 0.9 knot in the prevailing westward direction to be about 15 more 
in the northern winter than in summer, with a significant southwest 
component; in the higher speed group between 1 and 2 knots, the 
percent of observations is higher during the northern summer by about 
5 to 8, prevailing westward. 
18 
