ocean circulation

Ocean circulation is the large-scale movement of water through the world's oceans, driven by wind, temperature differences, salinity, and Earth's rotation.

Surface currents like the Gulf Stream move warm water toward the poles, while deep currents carry cold, dense water along the ocean floor.

This global system—sometimes called the thermohaline circulation or ocean conveyor belt—distributes heat, nutrients, and dissolved gases, profoundly affecting climate patterns worldwide.