What mainly drives oceanic currents?

Oceanic currents are predominantly driven by wind patterns across the ocean surface. The interaction between wind and the water creates friction, causing the water to move. Wind patterns are influenced by the Earth's rotation and temperature differences, but the initial force that sets the water in motion is the wind.

As wind blows over the ocean, it pushes the surface water, which then begins to flow in the direction of the wind. This movement can coordinate into larger current systems, often organized in circular patterns known as gyres. These currents play a vital role in regulating the climate and distributing heat across the planet.

While temperature differences in water and Earth's rotation also contribute to the behavior of ocean currents, they do so in a more indirect manner. Tidal forces do affect water levels and can create non-permanent currents, but the primary and immediate driving force of ocean currents is the consistent and steady action of surface winds.