Baroclinic dynamics of grounded abyssal ocean currents

人们可以把洋流分为两大类。第一种是由风力驱动的洋流。这些洋流在海洋表面附近最为强烈。它们的主要作用是将温暖的赤道水域输送到极地地区。第二类洋流是由密度与周围水域的对比所驱动的洋流。后一类是沿着大陆边界沿洋底或接近洋底流动的深海洋流。它们的主要作用是将极地地区产生的冰冷、稠密的水输送到赤道(或更远的地方)。总而言之，温暖的表面洋流和寒冷的深海洋流是海洋对流翻转的手段，将传入的太阳热量经向和垂直地混合到海洋内部。

One can categorize ocean currents into two broad groups. The first are the currents that are wind driven. These currents are most intense near the surface of the ocean. Their principal role is to transport warm equatorial waters toward the Polar Regions. The second class of currents are those that are driven by density contrasts with the surrounding waters. In this latter group are the deep, or abyssal, currents flowing along or near the bottom of the oceans along the continental boundaries. Their principal role is to transport cold, dense waters produced in the Polar Regions equatorward (and beyond). Taken together, the warm surface currents and the cold abyssal currents are the means by which the ocean convectively overturns, mixing incoming solar heating meridionally and vertically into the ocean interior.