Navigators have known for thousands of years that the ocean has variable currents, but it is only in the last half century that a reasonably clear picture has emerged of the patterns and causes of ocean currents.
a reasonably clear picture has emerged of the patterns and causes of ocean currents
a reasonably clear picture of the patterns of ocean currents and their causes have emerged
a reasonably clear picture emerged of ocean currents, their patterns and the causes of them
there have emerged a reasonably clear picture of the patterns of ocean currents and what caused them
there had emerged a reasonably clear picture of the patterns of ocean currents and their causes