* Surface ocean circulation is driven primarily by wind, creating currents like the Gulf Stream and the California Current. It's also influenced by the Coriolis effect, which causes currents to curve due to Earth's rotation.
* Thermohaline circulation (also known as the global conveyor belt) is driven by density differences in water. Cold, salty water is denser and sinks, while warmer, less salty water rises. This deep circulation is much slower than surface currents and plays a vital role in transporting heat and nutrients around the globe.
Therefore, they are not the same but are connected within the broader system of ocean circulation.
