Briefly about the main thing!

§ 27. Climate and waters of the land of Australia

Remember: 1. What factors influence the formation of the climate of a certain territory? 2. Characteristics African climate and South America? 3. In what climatic zones are Africa and South America located?

General features of the Australian climate. Australia is the driest continent in the world. Precipitation here is 5 times less than in Africa, and air temperatures are just as high. Features of the climate of the mainland are determined by the influence of certain climate-forming factors.

Australia is located in tropical latitudes, and therefore receives a large amount of solar energy. The northern part of the mainland is in a hot thermal zone, the southern one is in a temperate one.

The climate of Australia is significantly influenced by the circulation of the atmosphere and the underlying surface, the relief and the significant extent of the territory from east to west. The territory of the mainland is located in the zone of action of constant winds - southeast trade winds, which are formed mainly over the surface of the Pacific Ocean (Fig. 59).

The southeast trade wind moves moisture-saturated air masses from the ocean to the mainland, as a result of which the eastern slopes of the Great Dividing Range are under the influence of humid sea air all year round. There is a lot of rainfall throughout the year.

Explain how trade winds are formed. What kind of weather do they bring to Australia?

Rice. 59. Features of climate-forming factors in Australia

The mountain system on the path of the trade winds retains almost all moisture, and the air, overcoming the Great Dividing Range, warms up and does not give precipitation. Therefore, continental air masses form in the central and western expanses of Australia, which leads to the formation of deserts. In addition, the length of Australia from east to west along the Southern Tropic is 1.5 times the length of Africa. Therefore, here the average air temperatures are higher than in Africa, and the amount of precipitation is much less.

The southern part of the island of Tasmania and the South Island of New Zealand are affected by the constant westerly wind of temperate latitudes. During the year it carries moist air masses with indian ocean, which contributes to the uniform moistening of these areas.

The climate of the western, southern and eastern coasts of Australia is significantly influenced by cold and warm sea currents.

Location of Australia in southern hemisphere determines such an alternation of the seasons by months, which does not correspond to the seasons of the Northern Hemisphere. Consider how the climatic conditions in Australia change during the year.

In December, January and February the Sun is at its zenith on the Southern Tropic. In Australia it's summer. The area of ​​high atmospheric pressure is located in the south of the mainland. The mainland is very warm, so the air entering the interior of Australia becomes even drier. Only in the north of the mainland, in the subequatorial belt, where equatorial air masses penetrate at this time, is hot and humid.

In June, July and August, when the zenith position of the Sun moves to the Northern Hemisphere, winter sets in in Australia. An area of ​​high atmospheric pressure is moving north and is located above the central region of Australia. The mainland cools a little, and air masses move from land to ocean. Precipitation falls only in the extreme south.

climatic zones. The territory of Australia is located in three climatic zones: subequatorial - in the north, tropical - in the center and subtropical - in the south (Fig. 60, p. 130). In the far north of Australia, a subequatorial climate is formed. In summer (January), during the dominance of equatorial air masses, it is humid and warm here. The average air temperature is +28 °C. The amount of precipitation exceeds 1000 mm per year. In winter (July), tropical air masses enter, causing dry and hot weather (+24 ° С).

Explain why Australia has higher average air temperatures and significantly less rainfall than Africa.

Follow the climate map to see how cold and warm currents affect the distribution of rainfall in Australia.

Rice. 60. Climatic zones and regions of Australia

The tropical climatic zone occupies the largest area in the middle part of the mainland. Within this belt, just as in Africa, two climatic regions are distinguished: desert (continental) and moisture (marine). A hot and arid continental climate prevails over most of the mainland. Precipitation here is less than 200 mm per year, and the air temperature during the year ranges from +16 to +32 °C. Sometimes it rises to +48 °C, and there is no rain for several years in a row. However, there are heavy showers when the annual rainfall occurs in 2-3 days.

The maritime climate is formed only on a narrow strip of the eastern coast to the Great Dividing Range. Temperature fluctuations during the year are less here, and a significant amount of precipitation (more than 1500 mm) is evenly distributed throughout the year.

In the south of Australia, a subtropical climatic zone has formed. In its southwestern part, the Mediterranean region was formed. It is characterized by dry hot (+24 °С) summers during the dominance of tropical air masses and more moisture (500 -600 mm), cool (+12 °С) winters, due to moderate air masses. In the middle part of the belt, through the influence of the cold current on the climate, an arid continental region was formed, and in the southeast, under the influence of the trade winds, an area with uniform moisture (marine) (more than 1500 mm) was formed.

Explain what factors determine the formation of the maritime and continental climate within the tropical climate zone of Australia. Compare these types of climates with those in Africa.

The southern parts of the islands of Tasmania and New Zealand are located in the temperate zone, where cool summers (+16 ° C), warm winters (+8 ° C) and a significant amount of precipitation (2500 mm) uniformly distributed throughout the year, which are brought from the ocean by the western wind .

Land waters. Due to the predominance of a dry and hot climate in Australia, there is little surface water and a lot of groundwater.

The rivers and lakes of the mainland belong to three basins: internal flow (60% of the area), Indian and Pacific Oceans.

Only in the east, in the mountains, where a sufficient amount of precipitation falls, short rivers do not dry up. Throughout the rest of the territory, they do not have a permanent watercourse. In the interior desert and semi-desert regions there are a lot of dry channels, which are called kriks. Water appears in them only during rare rains. All rivers of the mainland are fed by rain and groundwater.

The most full-flowing river in Australia is the Murray. It originates on the Great Dividing Range and carries water to the Indian Ocean. During the rains, the river spills widely over a flat plain. This happens extremely quickly, but does not last long. The tributary of the Murray - the Darling River - dries up in the lower reaches during the dry period and forms several separate reservoirs. Therefore, navigation on these rivers is problematic. The waters of all rivers, primarily the Murray-Darling system, are used for irrigation.

On the territory of Australia there are a large number of lakes, belonging mainly to the inland runoff basin. Most of them do not have a drain, so they are salty. The lakes are of relict origin, that is, they arose after the Central Lowland was released from the waters of the ancient sea. The filling of lake basins with water depends on the season. During the dry season, the lakes sometimes dry up completely. The largest body of water on the mainland is Lake Eyre, the water level of which lies below sea level. During a drought, the surface area of ​​the lake decreases sharply, it breaks up into many small lakes. There are no living organisms in the lake, which is why it is also called the “dead heart of Australia”.

Use the atlas maps to determine the boundaries of Australia's river basins. Explain the reasons for the unequal area of ​​the pools and their placement.

Explain why Murray suffers less from anxiety than Darling.

The lack of surface waters is partially compensated by the richness of underground waters, which occur in numerous artesian basins. The artesian waters of Australia are brackish, so they are used for watering sheep and technical needs. In the Central Lowland, artesian wells are practically the only source of fresh water.

Briefly about the main thing!

Australia is the driest continent on the planet. Most of the mainland is dominated by a dry tropical climate dominated by continental tropical air masses.

In the north of the mainland, a subequatorial climate has formed, in the south - subtropical. This is due to changes in pressure areas, types of air masses, the action of trade winds and westerly winds of temperate latitudes.

Australia's land waters are unevenly distributed. Rivers and lakes often dry up. The lakes are salty. The lack of surface water is partially compensated by groundwater, which is practically the only source of water supply in Central and Western Australia.

1. What climate-forming factors influence the formation of the Australian climate?

2. Name the main and transitional climatic zones within Australia, describe them.

3. Why is there little surface water in Australia and a lot of groundwater?

4. Name and show on the map the largest rivers and lakes in Australia.

5. Compare the subequatorial, tropical and subtropical climatic zones of Africa and Australia. Explain the reasons for climate differences.

6. What are the reasons why Australia is the driest continent on Earth.

The Indian Ocean is 20% of the world's oceans by volume. It is bounded by Asia to the north, Africa to the west, and Australia to the east.

In the zone of 35 ° S passes the conditional border with the Southern Ocean.

Description and characteristics

The waters of the Indian Ocean are famous for their transparency and azure color. The fact is that few freshwater rivers, these "troublemakers," flow into this ocean. Therefore, by the way, the water here is much saltier than in others. The Red Sea, the saltiest sea in the world, is located in the Indian Ocean.

And the ocean is rich in minerals. The region near Sri Lanka has been famous for its pearls, diamonds and emeralds since ancient times. And the Persian Gulf is rich in oil and gas.
Area: 76.170 thousand sq. km

Volume: 282.650 thousand cubic km

Average depth: 3711 m, the greatest depth is the Sunda Trench (7729 m).

Average temperature: 17°C, but in the north the waters warm up to 28°C.

Currents: two cycles are conditionally distinguished - northern and southern. Both move clockwise and are separated by the Equatorial Countercurrent.

Major currents of the Indian Ocean

Warm:

Northern Tradewind- originates in Oceania, crosses the ocean from east to west. Beyond the peninsula, Hindustan is divided into two branches. Part flows to the north and gives rise to the Somali current. And the second part of the flow goes south, where it merges with the equatorial countercurrent.

South Passatnoye- begins at the islands of Oceania and moves from east to west up to the island of Madagascar.

Madagascar- branches off from the South Tradewind and flows parallel to the Mozambique from north to south, but slightly east of the Madagascar coast. Average temperature: 26°C.

mozambican is another branch of the South Tradewind Current. It washes the coast of Africa and merges with the Agulhas in the south. The average temperature is 25°C, the speed is 2.8 km/h.

Agulhas, or the course of Cape Agulhas- narrow and rapid current running along the east coast of Africa from north to south.

Cold:

Somali- a current off the coast of the Somali peninsula, which changes its direction depending on the monsoon season.

The course of the West winds encircles the globe in southern latitudes. In the Indian Ocean, from it is the South Indian Ocean, which, near the coast of Australia, passes into the West Australian.

Western Australian- moves from south to north along the western coast of Australia. As you get closer to the equator, the water temperature rises from 15°C to 26°C. Speed: 0.9-0.7 km/h.

Underwater world of the Indian Ocean

Most of the ocean is located in the subtropical and tropical zones, and therefore is rich and diverse in terms of species.

The coast of the tropics is represented by vast thickets of mangroves, home to numerous colonies of crabs and amazing fish - mudskippers. Shallow waters are a great habitat for corals. And in temperate waters, brown, calcareous and red algae (kelp, macrocysts, fucuses) grow.

Invertebrates: numerous mollusks, a huge number of species of crustaceans, jellyfish. Lots of sea snakes, especially venomous ones.

Sharks of the Indian Ocean are a special pride of the water area. The largest number of shark species live here: blue, gray, tiger, great white, mako, etc.

Of the mammals, dolphins and killer whales are the most common. And the southern part of the ocean is the natural habitat of many species of whales and pinnipeds: dugongs, seals, seals. Most of the birds are penguins and albatrosses.

Despite the richness of the Indian Ocean, the seafood industry is poorly developed here. The catch is only 5% of the world. They harvest tuna, sardines, rays, lobsters, lobsters and shrimp.

Indian Ocean exploration

The coastal countries of the Indian Ocean are the centers of the most ancient civilizations. That is why the development of the water area began much earlier than, for example, the Atlantic or the Pacific Ocean. Approximately 6 thousand years BC. the waters of the ocean were already plowed by shuttles and boats of ancient people. The inhabitants of Mesopotamia sailed to the shores of India and Arabia, the Egyptians carried on a lively maritime trade with the countries of East Africa and the Arabian Peninsula.

Key dates in the history of ocean exploration:

7th century AD - Arab sailors draw up detailed navigational charts of the coastal zones of the Indian Ocean, explore the water area near the eastern coast of Africa, India, the islands of Java, Ceylon, Timor, and the Maldives.

1405-1433 - Zheng He's seven sea voyages and exploration of trade routes in the northern and eastern parts of the ocean.

1497 - Vasco de Gama sails and explores the east coast of Africa.

(Expedition of Vasco de Gama in 1497)

1642 - two raids by A. Tasman, exploration of the central part of the ocean and the discovery of Australia.

1872-1876 - the first scientific expedition of the English corvette "Challenger", the study of the biology of the ocean, relief, currents.

1886-1889 - expedition of Russian explorers led by S. Makarov.

1960-1965 - International Indian Ocean Expedition, established under the auspices of UNESCO. The study of hydrology, hydrochemistry, geology and biology of the ocean.

1990s - present: studying the ocean with the help of satellites, compiling a detailed bathymetric atlas.

2014 - after the crash of the Malaysian Boeing, detailed mapping of the southern part of the ocean was carried out, new underwater ridges and volcanoes were discovered.

The ancient name of the ocean is Eastern.

Many species of wildlife in the Indian Ocean have an unusual property - they glow. In particular, this explains the appearance of luminous circles in the ocean.

In the Indian Ocean, ships are periodically found in good condition, however, where the entire crew disappears remains a mystery. Over the past century, this has happened to three ships at once: the ship "Cabin Cruiser", the tankers "Houston Market" and "Tarbon".

If you are interested in what oceans wash Australia, then it is worth noting that the Green Continent is located in such a way that its washes two world oceans at once.

Eastern shores of the mainland washed by the waters Pacific, and northwest Australia Indian Ocean. As for the seas, the north of the country is washed by the Arafura and Timor seas, the east coast is the Coral Sea, and the southern coast of Australia is washed by the Tasman Sea.

Pacific Ocean waters washed by the Australian eastern shores.

Feature coasts and these coastal waters in that shallow water is observed closer to the coast, but already 5 km from Australia, depths of up to three thousand kilometers begin in the ocean.

This relief of the seabed of Australia is explained by the presence of different structures connected in one place. earth's crust– Pacific and Solomon Plates. It was this collision that caused formed the Great Barrier Reef.

The ocean that surrounds Australia from the west is Indian Ocean. Two shallow currents approach the shores of the Green Continent - the cold West Australian and the warm South Trade Wind.

Interesting fact! In 1604, at the junction of the South Trade Wind and the West Australian Current, a pirate ship called the Reeves was sunk with several tons of gold on board.

The places where these currents join are the locations of the strongest whirlpools, fogs and tornadoes, which often cause shipwrecks and plane crashes. This place is called the Devil's Triangle. But despite this, many adventurers are drawn to look at it. dangerous natural phenomenon.

Interested in what seas Australia is washed by? Then you worth knowing that this unique continent is washed not only by oceans, but also by the seas entering their vast water areas.

north coast australia they are washed by waters and seas, which are also called twin seas, since they are very similar in flora and fauna.

Feature the seas of Australia in the north is a year-round high water temperature (approximately +28 ° C), which contributes to the development of coral structures.

East Coast Washes Australia. And the southeast of the Green Water Continent. Here the water temperature is much lower than in the northern seas of Australia.

The influence of the seas and oceans on the climate

The seas and oceans of Australia significantly affect the climate of the Green Continent. It is the effect of ocean currents, especially the dipole of the Indian Ocean, leads to periodic droughts in Australia.

Interesting fact! The climate of Australia, and more specifically the island of Tasmania, is affected by the cold West Australian Current, which prevents cyclones from forming, so the climate in this state of the country is temperate.

In addition, the oceans and seas that surround Australia affect precipitation. on the mainland. For example, seasonal tropical low pressure forms cyclones in the northern part of the country, which causes precipitation. This period is called the wet season and is characterized by high humidity and high temperatures.

Gifts of the seas and oceans

In addition to the fact that the waters of the Indian and Pacific Oceans washing Australia are ideal for relaxation, they also allow the Green Continent to be one of the world's leading suppliers seafood.

In the seas and oceans that wash Australia, live a variety of marine animals.

Some of them are found only off the coast of the Green Continent. These are eels from Fitzroy, and mussels from Brie Island, and Tasmanian salmon, and crustaceans from Moreton Bay, as well as the famous Sydney oysters and barramundi fish, which is found exclusively in northern Australian waters.

The oceans washing Australia, as well as the seas, allow this continent to have unique flora and fauna, as well as varied climate. Holidays on the islands located in the oceans and seas surrounding Australia are very popular with locals and tourists from all over the world.

secluded corners with unique plant and natural world , as well as white beaches are real paradises, and a vacation on the Coral Sea, in the waters of which you can go diving, will leave an unforgettable experience.

Australia is famous for its blue cloudless skies and bright sun, relatively mild climate and the absence of sudden temperature fluctuations. One of the most interesting and unique countries in the world occupies an entire continent.

Climatic features depend on geography. Australia is located on both sides of the southern tropic, between two giant oceans: the Pacific and the Indian. The shores of the continent are, as it were, elevated, separated by mountains from the body of water, so the influence of the seas is minimal.

Australia is the driest continent on earth. There is very little fresh water here and almost half of the mainland is occupied by tropical deserts known to the whole world: Victoria, Sandy, Gibson. few and almost all dry up. There are not many lakes and they are salty. There are also Mountain peaks, but they are rare and not high.

The sheer size of the country results in a variety of climates, from deserts to snowy mountains, from mild, warm coastal zones to tropical evergreen forests.

There are four climate zones in Australia:

• subequatorial
• tropical
• subtropical
• moderate.

Australia is located in the Southern Hemisphere, so the order of the seasons is a mirror image of what we are used to in the Northern Hemisphere. Summer begins in December, and June is the first winter month.

Subequatorial part

Covers the northern and northeastern parts of the mainland. It receives the most rainfall, mostly in summer. Winter is dry, droughts are not uncommon due to hot winds blowing from the middle of the mainland. The temperature throughout the year is even, averaging 23-24 degrees.

Tropical zone of Australia (about 40% of the country)

It is divided into two types of climate: tropical continental - hot with minimal rainfall and tropical humid with thunderstorms in summer time.

The continental-tropical climate covers large areas of deserts and semi-deserts in the center and western part of the mainland. The sand in these places has a characteristic red color due to the large amount of iron it contains.

The close occurrence of groundwater provides a fairly rich flora and fauna for deserts.

Acacias and eucalyptus trees grow from solitary shrubs into dense thickets and thickets inhabited by lizards, snakes, ostriches and kangaroos. Here is the hottest region of Australia, almost all summer the temperature does not drop below 35 degrees, in winter - 20-25 degrees.

A narrow strip of tropical rainforest stretches across eastern Australia. Southeasterly winds bring moist air from the Pacific Ocean here. Here is a mild warm climate, favorable for the development of the richest flora and fauna. Eucalyptus, ferns, palms, araucaria and bamboo grow on red ferralite soil. Many forest dwellers are found only in this part of the planet: koala, bird of paradise, marsupial flying squirrel, echidna, platypus and other species.

Subtropics

In turn, they are divided into three types of climate: continental subtropical arid - in the central and southern parts, subtropical humid with uniform precipitation - in the southeast, mixed or Mediterranean - in the east.

The Mediterranean climate is similar to that of Spain and Southern France, covering the most habitable zone of Australia. Summers are dry and hot (average temperature 23-27 degrees), winters are warm (12-14 degrees) with sufficient rainfall. Evergreen beech forests, palm trees, shrubs grow here.

The subtropical continental climate covers the cities of Adelaide and South Wales. It is characterized by low rainfall and relatively large average annual temperature fluctuations.

The subtropical humid climate covers the cities of Victoria and New South Wales. It has a mild climate and high rainfall, mainly in the coastal part. In summer, on average, 20-24 degrees. In winter 8-10 degrees. The climate is favorable for growing various vegetables and fruits. True, in order to get a high yield in the summer, it is necessary to artificially irrigate the soil. A sufficient amount of fodder grasses grows, so local residents breed dairy cows and sheep on vast pastures.

temperate zone

It covers the central and southern part of the island of Tasmania, is characterized by heavy rainfall, due to the influence of surrounding water spaces. It is distinguished by cool summers (8-10 degrees) and warm winters (14-17 degrees). AT winter time snow sometimes falls on the island, but it does not lie for a long time. On the lush evergreen meadows of the island, sheep and cows graze all year round.

Climate by season

Spring starts in September and lasts until the end of November. On the islands at this time it blooms amazingly beautifully. wildlife. In spring, the country is neither hot nor cold. The whole continent begins to blossom with violent bright colors.

The driest and hottest time summer in Australia lasts from December to February. In the center and not far from the deserts, the air warms up over 40 degrees in the shade. There is almost no rain and dry weather lasts almost the entire season.

Golden autumn in Australia it lasts from March to May. Most of the reserves, parks and forests of the country acquire an amazing red-gold hue. Particularly unique autumn trees in Orange and cloud forests in Yarra. This is the time to harvest from the numerous vineyards of the country.

Winter in Australia - best time of the year. Runs from June to August. The rainy season falls at this time, but they do not come very often. The air temperature rarely exceeds 20 degrees. In winter, nature and the underwater world are especially beautiful in the country.

Holidays in Australia

The variety of climatic zones of the country makes it attractive for tourism and recreation. When it is winter in the Northern Hemisphere, it is summer in Australia and this is the best time to travel to the southern part of the country: the cities and regions of Brisbane, Canberra, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Hobart and Perth.

The Australian dry winter is the best time to visit the northern regions of the country: the Barrier Reef, Darwin, Cairns, national park Kakadu, Kimberly and Broome.

Interesting facts about the climate of Australia

Cloncurry is the hottest place in the country. Here the temperature rises above 50 degrees in the shade.

In the city of Marble Bar in the western part of the country, the maximum average annual temperature was observed - 34 degrees Celsius.

The absolute minimum temperature was recorded in Eastern Australia in the state of Mitchell - 28 degrees.

Average annual precipitation: the minimum recorded in Willpum Creek, in the southern part of the country - 126 mm. The maximum - 3535 mm - is noted in the east at Innisfail.

Currents:

Benguela current- cold Antarctic current.

Arises south of the Cape of Good Hope as a branch of the Western Winds and heads north. Reaches the Namiba region in Africa.

West Australian Current- cold current in the southeastern part of the Indian Ocean. It flows along the western coast of Australia and from south to north, represents the northern branch of the Western Winds. In the tropical zone of the Southern Hemisphere, part of the West Australian Current passes into the South Equatorial Current, and part dissipates in the Timor Sea.

The current speed is 0.7-0.9 km per hour, salinity is 35.5-35.70 grams per liter. The water temperature along the course varies from 19 to 26 °C in February and from 15 to 21 °C in August.

Madagascar Current- warm surface current of the Indian Ocean off the eastern and southern shores of the island of Madagascar; branch of the South Tradewind Current.

Directed to the south and southwest at a speed of 2-3 km / h. The average water temperature on the surface for the year is up to 26 ° C. The salinity of the water is more than 35 ‰. In the southwest, it partially connects with the warm current of Cape Agulhas.

Mozambique current- warm surface current in the Mozambique Channel, in the western part of the Indian Ocean; branch of the South Tradewind Current. Directed south along the coast of Africa, where it passes into the Current of Cape Agulhas.

North trade wind- warm surface current in the Mozambique Channel, in the western part of the Indian Ocean; branch of the South Tradewind Current. Directed south along the coast of Africa, where it passes into the Current of Cape Agulhas.

Speed ​​up to 2.8 km/h (from November to April). The average water temperature on the surface for the year is up to 25 ° C. Salinity 35 ‰.

North equatorial current- a warm sea current in the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Oceans.

In the Pacific Ocean, the North Equatorial (North trade wind) current arises as a result of the deviation of the California current and flows between 10 ° and 20 ° north latitude in a westerly direction until, before the east coast of the Philippines, it undergoes a deviation and passes into the warm Kuroshio Current.

In the Atlantic Ocean, it arises from the Canary Current and flows between 10 ° and 30 ° north latitude in a northwest direction, being one of the sources of the Gulf Stream.

In the Indian Ocean, the direction of the North Equatorial Current depends on the season. During the winter months, during which the rainy season falls from the northeast, it is a weak westward current along the Equator. During the summer months, when the rains come from the southwest, the Somali current intensifies, flowing in a northeasterly direction along the coast of Africa and turning east, bypassing India.

Somali Current- current in the Indian Ocean of the peninsula of Somalia. The fastest current in the open ocean, can reach speeds of 12.8 km/h

Changes its direction with the seasons, caused by monsoon winds. During the summer monsoon (July - August), with a southwesterly wind, it reaches a width of about 150 km and a thickness of about 200 m in a stream. In summer, water rises from a depth along the eastern coast of Somalia. The water temperature sometimes drops to 13° (on the surface). In winter, the northeast monsoon interrupts the Somali current and turns it to the southwest. The rise of water from the depth practically stops.

The course of Cape Agulhas, or the Agulhas Current- a warm western boundary current in the Southwest Indian Ocean, which is part of the westward South Equatorial Current. Mostly runs along the western coast of Africa. The current is narrow and fast (on the surface the speed can reach 200 cm/s).

equatorial countercurrent- a powerful countercurrent in the interval between the North trade wind current and the South trade wind current, observed in the equatorial region around the entire globe in the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans.

Surface inter-trade countercurrents in the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans have been known since the 19th century. These currents are directed to the east against the prevailing winds and against the movement of the main surface currents. Intertrade countercurrents are caused by the transverse unevenness of the prevailing winds (trade winds), so their speed and flow fluctuate significantly, up to disappearance, depending on the strength and uniformity of the winds.

In the middle of the 20th century, subsurface and even deep countercurrents were discovered. Including powerful equatorial subsurface countercurrents, the Cromwell Current in the Pacific and the Lomonosov Current in the Atlantic Oceans. Subsurface equatorial currents are caused by a pressure gradient and move as a narrow stream to the east under the westward trade wind current.

During the weakening of the trade winds, subsurface countercurrents can “come out” to the surface of the ocean and be observed as surface currents.

South Equatorial Current- named after the prevailing winds in the region - trade winds blowing from east to west - a warm current in the World Ocean, passing through the southern tropical latitudes.

In the Pacific Ocean, it begins not far from the coast of South America, approximately in the region of the Galapagos Islands, and goes west to the shores of New Guinea and Australia.

The northern boundary of the current ranges from 1 degree north latitude in summer to 3 degrees south latitude in winter.

Near the western coast of the Pacific Ocean, the current is divided into branches - part of the current turns to the east, joining the Equatorial countercurrent. Another major branch of the current is the East Australian Current, which begins off the coast of Australia.