<!>The Map Thread (2015-02-02 18:39:22)
The Map Thread
Anthologica Universe Atlas / Forums / Department of Creativity / The Map Thread / <!>The Map Thread (2015-02-02 18:39:22)

? Uzhdarchios posts: 19
, Foreigner in Unknown Kadath
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quoting dhok, Priest, Norman, United States:
Climate:

GPHgq31.png
...
Note that Páho rotates opposite of Earth. It's also bigger, though I'm not sure by how much, still. I'm thinking a radius of 8000 to 9000km, so about one and a half times that of Earth.

Why is there only one circulation direction for the ocean currents in each hemisphere (clockwise in the south and counterclockwise in the north)? If it’s larger than Earth, the planet should have at least the same number of atmospheric circulation cells (three in each hemisphere). Ocean surface current circulation is driven by atmospheric circulation, and generally ocean surface currents are ~45 degrees off from the wind currents above them (see e.g. http://oceanmotion.org/html/background/ocean-in-motion.htm). Given that this is the case, and given that your planet is rotating opposite of Earth, one would expect to see

1. a westward-moving equatorial countercurrent along the equator
2. eastward-moving equatorial currents from there to around 30 degrees north/south; circulation between these and the equatorial countercurrent is clockwise in the north, counterclockwise in the south
3. westward-moving circumpolar currents from there to around 60 deg; circulation between these and the equatorial currents is counterclockwise in the north, clockwise in the south
4. eastward-moving subpolar currents from there to the poles; circulation between these and the circumpolar currents is clockwise in the north, counterclockwise in the south

Of course, you might have even more atmospheric cells than Earth, in which case you’d need to increase the number of currents and oceanic circulation cells.