Translations:AY Honors/Oceans/Answer Key/34/en

Coastal currents are divided into different types as well. Longshore currents, rip currents, upwelling and downwelling are all coastal currents because they are all driven by local or coastal winds and typically occur near the shoreline. Longshore currents occur when a wave hits the beach at an angle instead of head on. Part of the wave’s energy runs parallel to the shore creating the longshore current. Barrier Islands and land formations called spits are formed by these currents. Rip currents are caused when underwater land formations block the waves from flowing directly back to the ocean. When the waves that have already crashed flow through a narrow passage it creates a lot of force and creates a rip current. Upwelling and downwelling occur when the wind blows the surface water away causing the deeper water to replace it or the opposite when the wind blows the surface water towards a barrier and the force of the wind causes it to sink. These currents are important to the cycling of nutrients, oxygen, and other gasses in the ocean. Surface oceans currents are driven by global wind patterns.