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Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America logoLink to Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
. 1973 Jan;70(1):93–97. doi: 10.1073/pnas.70.1.93

Surface Circulation of Lakes and Nearly Land-Locked Seas

K O Emery 1, G T Csanady 1
PMCID: PMC433191  PMID: 16592051

Abstract

The pattern of surface circulation has been mapped for more than 40 lakes, marginal seas, estuaries, and lagoons. All are within the northern hemisphere, and all except one are known to have a counterclockwise pattern. This consistent pattern is attributed to the drag of wind blowing across the bodies of water. Warmer surface water is displaced to the right-hand shore zone (facing downwind), where it produces greater surface turbulence and, thus, greater wind drag. This effect leads to counterclockwise water circulation regardless of the direction and, within limits, the duration of the wind.

Keywords: marginal seas, wind drive, water movements

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Hachey H. B. THE CIRCULATION OF HUDSON BAY WATER AS INDICATED BY DRIFT BOTTLES. Science. 1935 Sep 20;82(2125):275–276. doi: 10.1126/science.82.2125.275. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

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