ENVS 1126 Lecture : OCS 1005 Lecture 12
Document Summary
**look at power point for response of surface current to wind in the northern hemisphere. In ekman layer, wind stress acting on the water particle is balanced by. Ekman transport leads to upwelling/downwelling: divergence (away) at the sea surface leads to upwelling of colder water, convergence (together) at the sea surface leads to downwelling of warm surface water. Example: ocean response to atmospheric low or high pressure system in the northern hemisphere. Hurricane ivan- oceanic upwelling in response to atmospheric low pressure system in northern hemisphere. Oceanic response to low or high pressure system in the atmosphere: low pressure system: wind circulating around a low pressure system in both hemispheres causes divergence and upwelling in the ocean. Upwelling brings colder nutrient-rich sub-surface water toward surface, decreasing sea surface temperature, and bringing about higher biological productivity: high pressure system: wind circulating around a high pressure system in both hemispheres causes convergence and downwelling in the ocean.
