North Pacific Gyre

North Pacific Gyre
The main ocean currents involved with the North Pacific Gyre

The North Pacific Gyre, located in the northern Pacific Ocean, is one of the five major oceanic gyres. This gyre comprises most of the northern Pacific Ocean. It is the largest ecosystem on our planet. It is located between the equator and 50º N latitude and occupies an area of approximately 20 million square kilometers.[1] The gyre has a clockwise circular pattern and comprises four prevailing ocean currents: the North Pacific Current to the north, the California Current to the east, the North Equatorial Current to the south, and the Kuroshio Current to the west. It is the site of an unusually intense collection of man-made marine debris, known as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.

See also

References

  1. ^ A Sea of Change: Biogeochemical Variability in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre. Springer. 1999. JSTOR 3658829. 

External links