The Humboldt Current (or Peru Current) is a cold ocean current that flows northward off the west coast of South America. It is named after the German scientist, Alexander von Humboldt. This current originates in the Southern Ocean near the Antarctic, and is thus about 7-8 C° cooler than the ocean at similar latitudes. The cold water cools down the air, creating the coastal deserts of Chile (the Atacama) and Peru. However, the Humbolt Current brings nutrient-rich seawater into the region, forming the basis for a rich fishing industry off Peru.
During an El Niño, the Humboldt Current is replaced by warm, low nutrient water, causing a rapid decline in the normally large fish populations and a subsequent decline in seabird populations, as well as rainfall in the normally dry coastal areas and droughts in the normally wet mountain areas further inland. It has been postulated that a strong El Niño led to the demise of the Moche and other pre-Columbian Peruvian cultures.
de:Humboldtstrom
fr:courant de Humboldt
ja:ペルー海流
he:זרם הומבולדט
