Antarctic Circumpolar Current

The Antarctic Circumpolar Current (English Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC ) ) is a cold ocean current around Antarctica, the only one that connects the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans directly and the powerful of the earth. In the direction of Earth's rotation, the ACC is driven by the West Wind Drift. In the Drake Passage between Antarctica and South America, it is particularly striking and transported there between 56 ° and 61 ° south latitude and between the sea surface and 4000 m depth approximately 140 times the amount of water of all the rivers of the earth, 140 Sv. His influence on the climate is enormous.

The waters of the ACC is colder and less salty than the large area north of him circulating water of the subtropical eddy current. It contains the so-called south polar front near the surface especially cold, a little salt water. The ACC receives these temperature differences upright by its easterly current. Before 30-40 million years, the Tasmanian Passage and the Drake Passage opened, and the ACC would allow, Antarctica had a temperate to cold climates.

South of the ACC rises very salty deep water. The vacuum that lifts the heavy deep water, is caused by the Coriolis force, which drives the ACC of the Earth's axis away to the north. Both forces are largely in balance. Near the ground, however, the current is slowed down by friction, the Coriolis force is released. There, the influx of water from the deep ocean basins takes place. At shallow depth, this salty water mixes with the ACC, the most important element of the global conveyor belt.