Exploring Ocean Currents: How Would They Flow on a Smooth Sphere?

[h4tt3n]

Hello everyone, first post on this forum...

Recently I've been trying to understand how ocean currents work from a general perspective. While studying, an intrigueing question popped up in my mind, and I haven't been able to let it go unanswered. It is simply:


If the Earth was a completely smooth, ocean covered sphere (but otherwise unchanged), how would the ocean currents flow?


I think that answering this Q might help one to understand what makes all the world's real ocean currents tick. Any suggestion?

Cheers,

Michael

 

[mgb_phys]

If the Earth was a completely smooth, ocean covered sphere (but otherwise unchanged), how would the ocean currents flow?

I don't think they would - I thought the main currents were driven by salinity differences as fresh water enters at the pole ( at least for the northern hemisphere )

 

[Bystander]

Surface currents: from equator N & S (plus coriolis E) to higher latitudes; once heat loss by radiation exceeds that absorbed from solar radiation, the water sinks, then flows from the poles toward the equator (again, plus coriolis W).