WEST AUSTRALIAN CURRENT

A system of ocean currents comprised of the Florida Current, the Gulf Stream, and the North Atlantic Current.

An ocean current flowing northwestward along the northeast coast of South America. The Guiana Current is an extension of the Atlantic South Equatorial Current, which crosses the equator and approaches the coast of South America. Eventually, it is joined by part of the Atlantic North Equatorial Current and becomes, successively, the CARIBBEAN ISLANDS, and the FLORIDA CURRENT. Also called NORTH BRAZIL CURRENT.

A North Atlantic Ocean current flowing eastward along the south coast of northwest Africa into the Gulf of Guinea. The Guinea Current is the continuation of the Atlantic Equatorial Countercurrent augmented by the eastern branch of the Canary Current.

A warm, well defined, swift, relatively narrow ocean current which originates where the Florida Current and the Antilles Current meet north of Grand Bahama Island. It gains its impetus from the large volume of water that flows through the Straits of Florida. Near the edge of the Grand Banks of Newfoundland extensions of the Gulf Stream and the Labrador Current continue as the NORTH ATLANTIC CURRENT, which fans outward and widens in a northeastward to eastward flow across the ocean. The Florida Current, the Gulf Stream, and the North Atlantic Current together form the GULF STREAM SYSTEM. Sometimes the entire system is referred to as the Gulf Stream The Gulf Stream forms the western and northwestern part of the general clockwise oceanic circulation of the North Atlantic Ocean.

A long, deep swell or undulation of the ocean often caused by a long-continued gale and sometimes a seismic disturbance and felt even at a remote distance. In shallow water the swell rises to a prominent height.

A drift current of the northeast Indian Ocean located north of the Indian Equatorial Countercurrent and south of the Bay of Bengal. During February and March when the northeast monsoon decreases in intensity, the monsoon drift is formed from the outflow of the Strait of Malacca and a small amount of north- westward flow along the upper southwest coast of Sumatra. Off the southwest coast of Sumatra, a current generally sets southeast during all months. It is strongest during October through April. The monsoon drift broadens as it flows westward and divides off the east coast of Sri Lanka, part joining the circulation of the Bay of Bengal and part joining the flow from the Arabian Sea. During April, the transition period between monsoons, the monsoon drift is ill-defined. A counterclockwise circulation exists between Sumatra and Sri Lanka. During May through October, the monsoon drift flows east to southeast. During November and December part of the monsoon drift is deflected into the Bay of Bengal and the remainder turns clockwise and flows southeastward.

A complex Indian Ocean current which is influenced by the monsoons and the circulations of the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal. At times it is easily distinguish- able; at other times it is not evident. During December through March, the countercurrent has a marked tendency to migrat

A seasonal wind-driven current occurring in the northern part of the Indian Ocean and the northwest Pacific Ocean.

A network composed of the primary control tide stations of the National Ocean Service. This network of coastal observation stations provides the basic tidal datums for coastal boundaries and chart datums of the United States. Tidal datums obtained at secondary control tide stations and tertiary tide stations are referenced to the Network.

A tidal datum originated by G.H. Darwin when investigating the tides of India. It is an elevation depressed below mean sea level by an amount equal to the sum of the ampli- tudes of certain constituents as given in the Tide and Current Glossary published by the National Ocean Survey. Also called INDIAN TIDE PLANE, HARMONIC TIDE PLANE.