Uploaded February 2012 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Here we demonstrate how atmospheric winds lead to the existence of floating garbage patches near the centers of the subtropical gyres. Fans simulate the wind field in a hypothetical subtropical gyre. Without rotation, floating debris follows the winds. When the tank is spinning, the video gets a bit nauseating. Just the same, the Coriolis force deflects the debris off to the right the wind direction (i.e. Ekman transport), eventually pushing the debris towards the center of the tank.
Here we demonstrate how atmospheric winds lead to the existence of floating garbage patches near the centers of the subtropical gyres. Fans simulate the wind field in a hypothetical subtropical gyre. Without rotation, floating debris follows the winds. When the tank is spinning, the video gets a bit nauseating. Just the same, the Coriolis force deflects the debris off to the right the wind direction (i.e. Ekman transport), eventually pushing the debris towards the center of the tank.
