Answer – A gyre is a system of circular or spiral ocean currents caused due to winds, differences in temperature and the rotation of the Earth.
Explanation:
An effect of the Earth’s rotation is that it causes movement in the large and fluid bodies of water known as oceans. Adding to this is the impact of winds on the water’s surface, the variations in temperature and salinity in these waters, and the limitations imposed by the landmasses that bound the ocean. Thus, circulating currents are set-up in the oceans. These interact with each other, and the resulting system is called an ocean gyre.
There are three types of gyres depending on the region of the Earth they are found in – tropical (near the Equator), polar (around the poles) and subtropical (between the polar and tropical regions).
Ocean gyres are a driving factor in the ocean conveyor belt or thermohaline circulation which is the collection of movements that result in ocean water being circulating across Earth and thus regulating and balancing its salinity, temperature, and nutrient concentrations.
