Lyla Lindsey
The East Australian Current (EAC) is a warm, southward, western boundary current that runs along the east coast of Australia. It is the largest ocean current close to the shores of Australia. The EAC is formed from the South Equatorial Current (SEC) crossing the Coral Sea and reaching the eastern coast of Australia. The current varies in size and can be between 15km-100km wide and 200m-500m deep, reaching depths of over 3,300 feet (1,000 meters). The EAC is known for its role in transporting tropical marine fauna to habitats in subtropical regions along the southeast Australian coast. It also contributes to the conditions that allow the Great Barrier Reef to thrive, keeping the east coast around 18 °C year-round. The EAC is famously portrayed in the film Finding Nemo as a superhighway for fish and sea turtles travelling down the east coast of Australia.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Nature of the Current | Continuous, meandering, poleward flow |
| Direction | North to South |
| Starting Point | The top end of the Great Barrier Reef |
| Termination Point | Southern reaches of Tasmania |
| Width | 15-100 km |
| Depth | 200-500 metres |
| Flow Speed | Up to 4 knots |
| Maximum Velocity | 90 cm/s |
| Flow Rate | 30 million cubic meters of water per second |
| Maximum Depth | 1,000 metres |
| Volume | 30 million cubic meters |
| Seasonal Variation | Strongest in summer, weakest in winter |
| Seasonal Flow Rate | 36.3 Sv in summer, 27.4 Sv in winter |
| Maximum Transport | 35 Sv |
| Eddies | Prevalent in the EAC region, particularly south of the EAC separation |
| Nutrients | Brings nutrients to the surface |
| Temperature | Keeps the east coast around 18 °C year-round |
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What You'll Learn
The East Australian Current (EAC) is a continuous current
The East Australian Current (EAC) is a continuous, meandering, poleward flow of water that runs along the east coast of Australia. It is a surface current driven by winds over the South Pacific, which control its behaviour at different times of the year. The EAC is the largest ocean current close to the shores of Australia, moving around 30 million cubic meters of water per second. It can be up to 100 kilometres wide and over 500 metres deep, with a maximum velocity of 90 cm/s.
The EAC is formed from the South Equatorial Current (SEC), which crosses the Coral Sea and reaches the eastern coast of Australia at around 15° S. Here, the SEC divides, forming the southward flow of the EAC. The EAC flows along the Australian coast, carrying warm tropical water from the Equator southward. This contributes to the conditions that allow the Great Barrier Reef to thrive, keeping the east coast around 18 °C all year round.
As the EAC flows southward, it gradually moves away from the coast. By the time it reaches 33° S, it begins to turn eastward into the Tasman Front, crossing the Tasman Sea just north of New Zealand. The remainder of the EAC will continue to flow southward until it reaches the Antarctic Circumpolar Current. The eastward movement of the EAC through the Tasman Front and its reattachment to the coastline of New Zealand forms the East Auckland Current.
The EAC is also known as an underwater "superhighway", a term popularised by the 2003 Disney/Pixar film Finding Nemo. In the film, the EAC is portrayed as a route that fish and sea turtles use to travel down the east coast of Australia. While this premise is correct, it is important to note that the EAC does not usually extend far offshore and is therefore not a suitable route for marine animals to travel directly from the Great Barrier Reef to Sydney Harbour, as depicted in the film.
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The EAC is pushed further offshore by strong northerly winds
The East Australian Current (EAC) is a surface current driven by winds over the South Pacific. The EAC is a continuous, meandering, poleward flow that supplies energy to the field of offshore eddies after it separates from the coast. The prevailing winds of the South Pacific Ocean create an anti-clockwise circulation of water with the assistance of the Coriolis effect (the rotation of the Earth). The EAC is also pushed further offshore by strong northerly winds.
The EAC is the largest ocean current close to the shores of Australia. It is formed from the South Equatorial Current (SEC) crossing the Coral Sea and reaching the eastern coast of Australia. At around 15° S near the Australian coast, the SEC divides, forming the southward flow of the EAC. The EAC reaches a maximum velocity at 30° S, where its flow can reach 90 cm/s. As it flows southward, it splits from the coast at around 31° to 32° S. By the time it reaches 33° S, it begins to undergo a southward meander while another portion of the transport turns back northward in a tight recirculation. At this location, the EAC reaches its maximum transport of nearly 35 Sv (35 billion liters per second).
The EAC varies seasonally and tends to be strongest in the summer, with a total flow of around 36.3 Sv. It is weakest during the winter months, flowing at around 27.4 Sv. The EAC transports about 1,100 million cubic feet (30 million cubic meters) of water per second. The current carries large amounts of warm tropical water from the Equator southward, contributing to the conditions that allow the Great Barrier Reef to thrive. The EAC keeps the east coast around 18 °C year-round instead of dropping.
The EAC is an underwater superhighway that runs north to south from the top end of the Great Barrier Reef to the southern reaches of Tasmania. It spans the length of the east coast of Australia, measuring around 4,000 kilometres, with a width of up to 100 kilometres and a depth of over 500 metres. The EAC is an important feature of the Tasman Sea, influencing circulation patterns and increasing mixing. The eddies produced cause an increase in vertical mixing within the Tasman Sea, bringing nutrients up to the surface.
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The EAC is the largest ocean current near Australia
The East Australian Current (EAC) is the largest ocean current near Australia. It is a warm, southward, western boundary current that forms from the South Equatorial Current (SEC) crossing the Coral Sea and reaching the eastern coast of Australia. The EAC is a continuous, meandering, poleward flow that supplies energy to the field of offshore eddies after it separates from the coast. The eddies produced cause an increase in vertical mixing within the Tasman Sea, bringing nutrients up to the surface. The EAC is driven by winds over the South Pacific, which control how the current behaves at different times of the year.
The EAC is a large-scale flow of water that runs south along the east coast of Australia, spanning around 4,000 kilometres. It sweeps warm tropical waters from the Coral Sea southward to interact with the cool, temperate waters of the Tasman Sea. The current varies in size, ranging from 15 to 100 kilometres in width and 200 to 500 metres in depth, with a maximum velocity of 90 cm/s. It can flow at speeds of up to 4 knots, transporting about 1,100 million cubic feet (30 million cubic meters) of water per second.
The EAC is an important feature of the Australian marine ecosystem. It contributes to the conditions that allow the Great Barrier Reef to thrive, keeping the east coast around 18 °C year-round. The current also transports tropical marine fauna to habitats in subtropical regions along the southeast Australian coast. The EAC was famously portrayed in the 2003 Disney/Pixar animated film Finding Nemo as a superhighway that fish and sea turtles use to travel down the east coast of Australia.
The EAC starts near the western edge of the South Pacific Gyre, where it collects warm, nutrient-poor water. As it moves along the east coast of Australia, it carries this water southward, parallel to the coastline. The current is strongest off Cape Byron, northern New South Wales, and weakens beyond 32° S latitude. At this point, the EAC reaches its maximum transport capacity, with a portion turning back northward in a tight recirculation. The majority of the EAC flow that does not recirculate continues eastward into the Tasman Front, crossing the Tasman Sea north of New Zealand.
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The EAC transports about 30 million cubic meters of water per second
The East Australian Current (EAC) is a warm, southward-flowing western boundary current that forms from the South Equatorial Current (SEC) crossing the Coral Sea and reaching the eastern coast of Australia. As it flows southward, it splits from the coast at around 31° to 32° S. The EAC is the largest ocean current close to the shores of Australia.
The EAC reaches a maximum velocity at 30° S, where its flow can reach 90 cm/s. By the time it reaches 33° S, it achieves a maximum transport of nearly 35 Sv (35 billion litres per second or 30 million cubic meters per second). The majority of the EAC flow that does not recirculate will move eastward into the Tasman Front, crossing the Tasman Sea just north of the cape of New Zealand. The Tasman Front transport is estimated at 13 Sv.
The EAC is driven by winds over the South Pacific, which control how the current behaves at different times of the year. It collects warm, nutrient-poor water from the Coral Sea and carries it southward into the Tasman Sea. This process of transporting warm water southward contributes to the conditions that allow the Great Barrier Reef to thrive, keeping the east coast around 18 °C year-round.
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The EAC is an underwater superhighway for fish and turtles
The East Australian Current (EAC) is a warm, southward, western boundary current. It is the largest ocean current close to the shores of Australia, reaching depths of over 3,300 feet (1,000 metres) and spanning the length of the country's east coast. The EAC carries warm tropical water from the equator southward, distributing and transferring heat from the tropics to the waters in the south. This process influences productivity, biodiversity, and what grows where and when.
The EAC is indeed an underwater superhighway for fish and turtles, as portrayed in the 2003 Disney/Pixar animated film "Finding Nemo". In the film, Marlin, Dory, and Crush, along with a group of baby and adult sea turtles and fish, use the EAC to travel to Sydney Harbour to find Nemo. The premise of the film is based on the actual behaviour of marine life, with the EAC attracting a wide range of species, including tropical fish, sharks, corals, larvae, and even marine algae.
The EAC is driven by winds over the South Pacific and the rotation of the Earth. It starts on the western edge of the South Pacific Gyre, collecting warm, nutrient-poor water from the Coral Sea and carrying it southward along the east coast of Australia. The current contributes to the conditions that allow the Great Barrier Reef to thrive, keeping the east coast around 18 °C year-round.
The EAC plays a vital role in the marine ecosystem, despite its low nutrient content. It produces warm-core eddies, which increase vertical mixing within the Tasman Sea and bring nutrients up to the surface. The EAC influences circulation patterns, and its behaviour is controlled by the winds, which vary seasonally. The current tends to be strongest in the summer and weakest in the winter months.
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Frequently asked questions
The EAC is a continuous boundary current that typically stays close to the coast of Australia, but it can extend up to 100 kilometres offshore.
The EAC reaches depths of over 3,300 feet (1,000 metres) and can go as far as 500 metres deep.
The EAC varies in width from 15 kilometres to 100 kilometres.
The EAC reaches a maximum velocity of 90 cm/s at 30° S.
The EAC moves approximately 30 million cubic meters of water per second.
