Which of the following is a list of cold currents?

• A. Gulf Stream
• B. North Atlantic Drift
• C. California Current
• D. Labrador, Canaries

Answer: (D)

Cold currents are streams of seawater that originate in higher latitudes where the water is cool and move toward lower latitudes or along coastlines, bringing cooler conditions to surface waters. The Labrador Current fits this pattern, as it flows southward along the coast of Labrador and Newfoundland, carrying cold Arctic water into the Atlantic. The Canary Current is another cold current, running southward along the northwest African coast, fed by the trade winds and characterized by cool, nutrient-rich waters along that eastern boundary of the Atlantic.

This combination is why the option listing Labrador and Canaries is the best match for a list of cold currents. By contrast, the Gulf Stream and its warm extension, the North Atlantic Drift, are warm currents that transport heat northward toward Europe. The California Current is cold, but it’s listed by itself here, not as part of a pair like the other option.