What does AP mean in COMPANIES & FIRMS

Overview

The Atlantic and Pacific Oceans are distinct in many ways — they have different temperatures, ecosystems, topography and geology. However, when it comes to their effects on climate, they are closely linked together through the process known as thermohaline circulation. This is a powerful global current that carries warm surface waters from the equator northward towards higher latitudes and colder waters southward toward the equator. This exchange of water between hemispheres is essential for creating uniform temperatures throughout the world's oceans and for regulating Earth's climate in general.

Details

The two most important components of this massive global “conveyor belt†are the Gulf Stream — a large warm-water current moving northwards from the Caribbean Sea to Europe — and its counterpart, El Niño—Southern Oscillation (ENSO). These massive forces move huge volumes of water from one area of Earth to another on a regular basis, inverting each other at regular intervals to maintain an overall balanced system. While ENSO is mainly responsible for making sure that average temperatures remain relatively uniform across different regions, it also influences rainfall patterns throughout the globe too by redirecting cold seawater away from regions that need it most during El Niño or La Niña events.