As wind blows across the ocean’s surface, the friction between the wind and the ocean surface allows energy to be transferred from the wind to the water and causes the water to be pulled along by the wind. The movement of this top ocean surface layer caused by the wind also results in friction between that top layer and deeper water, causing that deeper water to move as well. So it’s not just the ocean surface that moves when the wind blows, although the influence of the wind on water movement decreases as you go deeper in the ocean until you get to deep enough depths that that water does not move when the wind is blowing. Ocean currents caused by the winds are also affected by the fact that the earth is rotating so instead of the water traveling in the same direction as the wind as you might expect, the water is actually deflected (moved) on a path that is at an angle to the wind. This angle between the water and the wind changes with depth, creating what is known as the Ekman spiral. The phenomenon that causes this deflection is known as the Coriolis force. The combined effects of these different processes result in ocean currents that are created by the winds.
As wind blows across the ocean’s surface, the friction between the wind and the ocean surface allows energy to be transferred from the wind to the water and causes the water to be pulled along by the wind. The movement of this top ocean surface layer caused by the wind also results in friction between that top layer and deeper water, causing that deeper water to move as well. So it’s not just the ocean surface that moves when the wind blows, although the influence of the wind on water movement decreases as you go deeper in the ocean until you get to deep enough depths that that water does not move when the wind is blowing. Ocean currents caused by the winds are also affected by the fact that the earth is rotating so instead of the water traveling in the same direction as the wind as you might expect, the water is actually deflected (moved) on a path that is at an angle to the wind. This angle between the water and the wind changes with depth, creating what is known as the Ekman spiral. The phenomenon that causes this deflection is known as the Coriolis force. The combined effects of these different processes result in ocean currents that are created by the winds.