The Sun's energy and force of the wind. Near the poles, ocean water sinks because it is cold and salty. The ice formed at the poles doesn't take up salt very well and leaves it behind in the seawater. This makes it heavy and sink. The most obvious way the Sun drives ocean circulation is by wind forcing.
Energy is transferred directly from the atmosphere into the oceans.
The upper image shows wind speed and the lower shows significant wave height. Answer These data show the conditions during January, 1995.