In both sections the Gulf Stream is flowing into the page. As the velocity profiles indicate, the maximum velocities are confined to the top 200 meters of the water column. The figure below depicts the surface velocity of the North Atlantic during September 2000. Gulf Stream velocity fields are derived from near-realtime radar altimeter data measured from a satellite. The velocities of the currents are represented by colors as well as by arrows.
Brighter colors indicate higher velocities.
The directions in which the arrows point is the direction of the current. Thus, an arrow pointing to the right indicates an eastward flow. The highest velocities are observed both in the Gulf Stream current and south of the current in eddies that formed from the Gulf Stream. The formation of these eddies will be discussed later. The width of the Gulf Stream can also be seen by looking at a temperature or density section.