Rapid Fire
Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC)
- 30 Dec 2023
- 1 min read
Scientists have discovered an ancient underwater mountain range hidden within the world's strongest ocean current, the Antarctic Circumpolar Current.
- The ACC flows from west to east around Antarctica, connecting the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans. It is the only current that flows completely around the globe.
- It is exceptionally wide, with a width of about 1250 kilometers, making it the widest of all ocean currents.
- It plays a crucial role in global ocean circulation and climate regulation. It redistributes heat and influences the global climate system.
- The ACC is also known as the West Wind Drift because it is primarily driven by the strong westerly winds that circle Antarctica in the Southern Hemisphere.
- It forms the Antarctic Convergence, where the cold Antarctic waters meet the warmer waters of the subantarctic, creating a zone of upwelling nutrients and high biological productivity.
Read More: Southern Ocean
