The West Australian Current (or the Western Australian Current) is a cool surface current of the
Southern Ocean
The Southern Ocean, also known as the Antarctic Ocean, comprises the southernmost waters of the World Ocean, generally taken to be south of 60° S latitude and encircling Antarctica. With a size of , it is regarded as the second-small ...
and
Southern Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third-largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, covering or ~19.8% of the water on Earth's surface. It is bounded by Asia to the north, Africa to the west and Australia to the east. To the south it is bounded by t ...
.
Track
It starts as the Southern Indian Ocean Current, a part of the larger
Antarctic Circumpolar Current
The Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC) is an ocean current that flows clockwise (as seen from the South Pole) from west to east around Antarctica. An alternative name for the ACC is the West Wind Drift. The ACC is the dominant circulation feat ...
(also known as the West Wind Drift). As the current approaches
Western Australia
Western Australia (commonly abbreviated as WA) is a state of Australia occupying the western percent of the land area of Australia excluding external territories. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to th ...
, it turns north, parallel to the western coast of Australia, and becomes the West Australian Current.
Effects
The current is mainly seasonal, being weaker in winter and stronger in summer, and is affected by the winds in that area.
In addition to the West Australian Current flowing on the Western Australian Coast, the
Leeuwin Current
The Leeuwin Current is a warm ocean current which flows southwards near the western coast of Australia. It rounds Cape Leeuwin to enter the waters south of Australia where its influence extends as far as Tasmania.
Discovery
The existence of the ...
and Southern Australian Countercurrent, also flow along this coast, with the former flowing in the opposite direction. These three currents together contribute greatly to the rainfall and climate in the
southwest region of Western Australia.
[http://www.bom.gov.au/oceanography/forecasts/idyoc10.shtml?region=10&forecast=1 BOM indicator of current temperatures]
See also
*
Ocean current
An ocean current is a continuous, directed movement of sea water generated by a number of forces acting upon the water, including wind, the Coriolis effect, breaking waves, cabbeling, and temperature and salinity differences. Depth contours, s ...
*
Oceanic gyres
In oceanography, a gyre () is any large system of circulating ocean currents, particularly those involved with large wind movements. Gyres are caused by the Coriolis effect; planetary vorticity, horizontal friction and vertical friction determine ...
*
Physical oceanography
Physical oceanography is the study of physical conditions and physical processes within the ocean, especially the motions and physical properties of ocean waters.
Physical oceanography is one of several sub-domains into which oceanography is divi ...
References
{{Ocean
Coastline of Western Australia
Southern Ocean
Currents of the Indian Ocean