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The Gulf Stream is the fastest ocean current in the world with peak velocities near 2m/s.

Source: marine.coastal.edu

What about deep currents, North Atlantic Deep Water, Antarctic Bottom Water, etc?

What is the fastest ocean deep current?

My guess is Antarctic Bottom Water must be the fastest because Antarctic Circumpolar Current receives not salty water from ice melt, and salinity gradient moves deep currents.

Is Antarctica Bottom Water the fastest?

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    $\begingroup$ Did you try doing research on which Is the fastest deepest current or are you not researching for a possible answer, wanting rep only. $\endgroup$
    – Tardy
    Apr 24, 2021 at 17:15
  • $\begingroup$ @BearSmart I did search "fastest deep current" and it points to Gulf Stream, which is a superficial current. If you search eg North Atlantic Deep Water current in wikipedia that data is not available. The physics behind this is complicated as they are not truely currents, they are water masses in multidirectional mouvement, but there should be one which is specially fast. My guess is Antarctic Bottom Water is the fastest because differences in salinity mouves deep currents and Antarctic Circumpolar current creates water not salty as ice is melted. But not sure. I truely don't find that data. $\endgroup$
    – user20559
    Apr 24, 2021 at 17:21
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    $\begingroup$ Ok, I made a mistake on judging you, sorry. $\endgroup$
    – Tardy
    Apr 26, 2021 at 21:04

2 Answers 2

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This article in Fox News points to this paper and asserts that the fastest deep current measured is the Antarctic.

Rintoul, of the Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems Cooperative Research Center in Hobart, said it proved to be the fastest deep ocean current yet found, with an average speed of 7.9 inches a second (0.20 m/s).

I have no access to the paper, I can only read the abstract. I guess Fox News didn't lie this time as they are sourcing a scientifical paper of Nature Geoscience.

Fukamachi, Y., Rintoul, S., Church, J. et al. Strong export of Antarctic Bottom Water east of the Kerguelen plateau. Nature Geosci 3, 327–331 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1038/ngeo842

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The gulf stream is the fastest under water ocean current inthe world ,with peak velocities 2 meters per second ,the gulf stream, at the straits of Florida and cape hatteras.enter image description here

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    $\begingroup$ Welcome to the site. I am asking for deep currents as North Atlantic Deep Water or Antarctic Bottom Water, not for superfitial currents as Gulf Stream. $\endgroup$
    – user20559
    May 10, 2021 at 6:20
  • $\begingroup$ Sorry, can't help okay but it might be the Antarctic current the that surrounds the Antarctic $\endgroup$
    – yor
    May 10, 2021 at 6:31
  • $\begingroup$ @Universal_learner: No offence, but Foxnews is not a reliable source. I wouldn't believe them if they say that water is wet. But they mention a Nature paper, that may be worth looking further ? Btw., if ir is about the ACC, it is strong but a supeficial current ... $\endgroup$
    – user22279
    May 10, 2021 at 12:32
  • $\begingroup$ @Earthworm At the question I have linked to the paper quoted by Fox News who says that. As the article is sourced with a paper I think the Fox article is more trustable. $\endgroup$
    – user20559
    May 10, 2021 at 12:34
  • $\begingroup$ @Earthworm but it talks about deep currents not Antarctic Circumpolar Water. Gulf Stream is still believed the fastest. My mistake! $\endgroup$
    – user20559
    May 10, 2021 at 12:52

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