Ocean Current - Part 4, Indian Ocean Currents, Effect and Importance of Currents

Under Current - Part 3, Pacific Ocean Currents, we looked at the Pacific Ocean Currents. In the last section of Ocean Currents, we will understand the main points of Indian Ocean currents, effect and importance of water currents in Part-4. Before this, we learned about other parts of ocean currents, whose brief details are as follows –

1. Ocean Current - Part 1, Ocean Current Stream & its Origin
2. Ocean Current - Part 2 , Atlantic Ocean Currents
3. Ocean Current - Part 3, Pacific Ocean Currents
4. Ocean Current - Part 4, Indian Ocean Currents, Effect and Importance of Currents

Indian Ocean Currents

The Indian Ocean is bordered by Australia, South Asian countries Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia etc, India, Arabia and Africa. If seen, the condition of water currents in the Indian Ocean is slightly different from others. Here two different currents run in different seasons namely North-East Monsoon in winter and South-West Monsoon in summer.

Monsoon winds and the lithosphere have a fair effect on the currents of the Indian Ocean. Due to the north-east monsoon winds and the south-west monsoon in the northern Indian Ocean, there are changes in ocean currents twice a year in winter and summer respectively. While there is no change in the Southern Indian Ocean. Here a definite sequence of currents is seen. Following are the ocean currents flowing in the Indian Ocean.

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Indian ocean currents are as follows -

1. South Equatorial Current (warm current)
2. Madagascar Current (warm current)
3. Mozambique Current (warm current)
4. Agulhas Current (warm current)
5. Western Australian Current ( cold current )
6. Summer Monsoon Flow (warm and variable)
7. Winter Monsoon Flow

1. South Equatorial Current (warm current)

It flows from the west coast of Australia towards East Africa under the influence of trade winds. It splits into two near Madagascar.

2 . Madagascar Current (warm current)

After the separation of the Southern Equatorial Current, one of its branches flows along the eastern part of Madagascar, which is called the Madagascar Current.

3. Mozambique Current (warm current)

The second branch of the South Equatorial Current starts flowing south through the Mozambique Channel, which is called the Mozambique Current.

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4. Agulhas Current (warm current)

The Mozambique current meets the Madagascar current by going 30 degrees south and from here it flows towards the southern tip of Africa. In this way, the combined current made up of Agulhas Current, Mozambique Current and Madagascar Current is called. By moving forward, this westerly gets mixed with the wind flow.

5. Western Australian Current ( cold current )

The Antarctica current collides with the south-west part of Australia and divides into two parts. One of its branches turns north and starts flowing along the coast of Western Australia, which is called the Western Australian Current.

6. Summer Monsoon Flow (warm and variable)

In summer, due to the influence of the south-west monsoon, water starts flowing from west to east, due to which warm current winds start blowing on the western coast of the continent of Asia. The North Equatorial Current also flows in this monsoon current and flows eastwards to form ocean currents in summer.

7. Winter Monsoon Flow

In winter, the North Equatorial Current, flowing from east to west along with the north-east monsoon, forms a current along the southern coast of the continent of Asia. It flows along the coasts of various countries, turns east near East Africa and goes towards the Eastern Islands.

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Effect and Importance of Ocean Currents

Ocean currents affect the ecology and environment of the areas through which they flow to a great extent. Their effects and importance are as follows –

• Ocean currents play an important role in the temperature balance on the earth by heat transfer. Warm currents increase the temperature of a particular region, while cold currents cause a drop in temperature, which makes the weather colder.
• Due to the warm current, ice does not spread on the ports of the polar and European regions and the ports remain open throughout the year, which helps in transportation.
• Cold currents bring with them floating icebergs, which are a huge source of fresh water, but they also become a major obstacle in the transport of ships in the ocean.
• Winds blowing over warm currents contain a lot of moisture, when these winds blow towards higher latitudes, they cause rain in the area. This is the reason why it rains throughout the year on the western edges of North-Western Europe and America, due to which the European-like climate has developed.
• Humid winds are not effective in the coastal areas due to cold currents, due to which deserts have developed in those areas. For example, due to the Falkland Current, the Patagonian Desert and the Kalahari Desert have been formed due to the Benguela Current.
• Ocean currents play an important role in the generation of monsoon in the Indian subcontinent.
• In the areas where warm water current and cold water current meet, there is a dense fog. This area becomes the main center of fish collection, because the condition here is good for the development of fish.
• The water currents carry with them planktons, which are the main diet of fishes.

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