Equatorial current
The equatorial current is a very constant, westward surface current of the sea on both sides of the equator . The current is caused by the trade winds and the Coriolis force . It only seems to a viewer as if the water masses, after moving north and south along the American coast, are moving west along the equator. Here again the effect of the Coriolis force can be seen, since the water masses hardly move themselves, but an east-west flow still occurs. This is due to the fact that the earth moves to the east under the sea, which, since there is no force acting on it, stands "still" according to the law of inertia . This makes it appear as if the equatorial current is moving westwards, although the water masses are actually still. In the Indian Ocean , the north equatorial current is only formed in winter. The equatorial countercurrent is an east-facing surface current near the equator between the north and south equatorial currents .