Ocean surface currents follow clockwise circulatory paths in the northern parts of the Pacific and Atlantic oceans due to the

Ocean surface currents in the northern hemisphere form clockwise rotating systems called gyres, primarily driven by wind patterns and the Coriolis effect. However, the question specifically asks for the primary cause. The Coriolis force causes the deflection that creates the circular pattern, but it is the prevailing winds (trade winds and westerlies) that provide the initial energy and momentum to the surface currents. The impact of prevailing winds is the more direct and immediate cause of both the movement and the clockwise direction (combined with Coriolis). Options A, B, and C are incorrect because: convergence/divergence is a result not the cause, density differences drive deep ocean currents not surface ones, and while Coriolis causes the rotation, winds drive the movement itself.