The surface portion is known as the West Wind Drift . It is most restricted through the Drake Passage between South America and Antarctica. There is also a narrow East Wind Drift, particularly in the Weddell Sea. Antarctic subsurface water masses are shown in Fig. Antarctic Bottom Water is at the bottom, next up is North Atlantic Deep Water , and last is Antarctic Intermediate Water formed at the Antarctic Convergence.
Deep waters carry all of the oxygen to the deep sea.
Without sinking, the deepest water would not be replaced, and no oxygen would be available to the deep sea around Antarctica. Atlantic Ocean Circulation a. Atlantic Gyres are the dominant surface currents in the Atlantic. The Gulf Stream is a western boundary current which flows along the U.S. East Coast. It carries about 90 sv off the Chesapeake Bay.