|
East Antarctic Ice SheetThat portion of the Antarctic Ice Sheet lying predominantly in the Eastern Hemisphere. A line following the Transantarctic Mountains to the Antarctic Peninsula serves as the boundary between the East and West Antarctic Ice Sheets.
|
|
East Arabian CurrentThe continuation of the Somali Current along the eastern Arabian peninsula during the southwest monsoon (June–October) with peak speeds in May of 0.5–0.8 m s−1. It is associated with coastal upwelling during May–September, when sea surface temperatures along the coast are lowered by about 5°C.
|
|
East Auckland CurrentThe continuation of the East Australian Current along the eastern coast of New Zealand's North Island; the current is thus part of the western boundary current system of the South Pacific subtropical gyre. During summer (December–March) it continues southward as the East Cape Current to reach the Chatham Rise. During winter (June–August) some of it separates from the shelf and flows eastward into the Pacific, forming a temperature front along 29°S.
|
|
East Australian CurrentThe western boundary current of the South Pacific subtropical gyre. It originates in the Coral Sea near 1°S from the South Equatorial Current and flows southward along the east Australian coast. Although it is the weakest of all western boundary currents with a mean transport of little more than 15 Sv (15 × 106 m3s−1), its speed is rarely less than 1.5 m s−1. The current is stronger in summer (December–March). It separates from the Australian coast between 31° and 34°S to flow toward the northern tip of North Island, New Zealand, shedding about three eddies per year in the process. Its eastward passage from Australia to New Zealand is known as the Tasman Front, which separates warm tropical water in the Coral Sea from the subtropical water of the Tasman Sea.
|
|
East Greenland CurrentA southward flowing current along Greenland's east coast that forms part of the North Atlantic subpolar gyre and at the same time constitutes the major outflow route of Arctic water into the Atlantic. This water has a salinity of 30–33 psu and a temperature below −1°C. Some of it is diverted just north of Denmark Strait and northeast of Iceland into the East Iceland Current, which carries it toward the Norwegian Sea as part of the formation process of Arctic Bottom Water. The remainder is joined south of Denmark Strait and southwest of Iceland by the northwestward flowing Irminger Current, which brings the water of the subpolar gyre. Transport estimates are 5 Sv (5 × 106 m3 s−1) for the East Greenland Current and 8–11 Sv (8–11 × 106 m3 s−1) for the Irminger Current. The combined flow continues around the southern tip of Greenland into the West Greenland Current.
|
|
East Indian CurrentA northward flowing western boundary current found along the east coast of southern India from February to August. Its speed is consistently above 0.5 m s−1, reaching a maximum of 0.7–1.0 m s−1 in May and June. The current is remarkable for its independence of the monsoon cycle; during February– April (the late Northeast Monsoon season) it runs into the wind. See also East Indian winter jet.
|
|
East Indian winter jetA southward flowing powerful western boundary current that replaces the northward flowing East Indian Current along the east coast of southern India during October– December. Its speed is consistently above 1 m s−1. It continues westward south of Sri Lanka, where it establishes a strong current shear but little water exchange with the eastward flowing Indian equatorial jet to the south. It feeds its water into the Arabian Sea.
|
|
