The study looked at how wind and waves affect the movement of water at the ocean's surface. By using a computer model, the researchers found that when the wind and waves are not aligned, it can create a complex relationship between the flow of water and the forces acting on it. They discovered that the way water moves horizontally can impact how turbulence is generated, which in turn affects the currents in the upper ocean. This information is important for understanding how the ocean behaves in different conditions and can help improve how we predict ocean currents in the future.