The Eye in the Middle of the Oceanic Gyres – A Saga of Garbage Patch

Ms. Moumita Pal
Assistant Professor
Department of Geography
Faculty of Arts and Humanities
Kalinga University
A gyre is the rotating oceanic currents with a stable calm zone within it. The three biggest
oceans i.e. the Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean and the Indian Ocean have gyres in the middle
of their circulating ocean currents. As the Pacific and the Atlantic have greater north-south
extension than the Indian ocean, they have formed two gyres in each, one in the northern part
and another in the southern part of the oceans. Indian ocean is having only one gyre as it is
only extended in the southern hemisphere. A gyre resembles a wind free zone within a tropical
cyclone which is referred as the eye of a cyclone. The process of formation of a gyre can be
easily understood by analysing the factors affecting the movement of the ocean currents such
as the earth’s gravity, rotation, the centrifugal force and atmospheric conditions such as the
temperature, pressure, pressure gradient, wind velocity and wind direction etc. Since the
ancient time ocean is been used for toxic waste disposal such as chemical and industrial wastes,
radioactive wastes, trash, sewage sludge etc. These toxic materials contaminate ocean water
and affect marine ecosystem. Plastic litters are being non-biodegradable things swim on the
surface of the ocean water. The comparatively dense plastic sinks little deeper into the ocean
water and further causes pollution. Plastic nurdles are swallowed by the marine animals during
the search of food and also, they get injured by the rigid plastic parts, fishing rods etc. The rate
of inclusion of garbage to the ocean water is increasing along with the generation of waste from
the establishment of numerous industries, frequent radioactive experiments, the extreme
urbanization and uncontrolled population growth etc. Even rivers collect wastes through its
course and carry them up to the river mouths. The carried wastes then get deposited to the
oceans and start moving with the currents. During the continuous rotation with the currents the
wastes reach in the middle the oceanic gyre which is comparatively stable. The continuous
collection of trash originates garbage patches like islands. Sometimes, under the shear force
the wastes from the dynamic gyres find their destination to the sea beaches and pollutes the
shore lines. Recent studies only focus on the formation of garbage patch from surrounding
landmasses for a specific period of time. But the attention should be given on the marine
ecology and biodiversity. The threats on the marine plants and animals as well as on the whole
system of nature must be conferred with suggesting prevention of plastic pollution.