Ekman transport
E41160
Ekman transport is an oceanographic process in which wind-driven surface waters move at an angle to the wind direction due to the Coriolis effect, causing net water transport perpendicular to the wind.
Observed surface forms (1)
| Surface form | Occurrences |
|---|---|
| Ekman pumping | 1 |
Statements (47)
| Predicate | Object |
|---|---|
| instanceOf |
oceanographic process
ⓘ
physical oceanography concept ⓘ |
| affects |
coastal ecosystems
ⓘ
nutrient upwelling ⓘ primary productivity ⓘ sea surface temperature patterns ⓘ vertical motions in the ocean ⓘ |
| assumes |
constant vertical eddy viscosity
ⓘ
horizontally uniform conditions ⓘ steady wind forcing ⓘ |
| contributesTo |
equatorial divergence
ⓘ
formation of ocean fronts ⓘ subtropical gyre dynamics ⓘ wind-driven ocean circulation ⓘ |
| dependsOn |
Coriolis parameter
ⓘ
latitude ⓘ vertical eddy viscosity ⓘ wind stress magnitude ⓘ |
| directionRelativeToWind |
90 degrees to the left of the wind in the Southern Hemisphere
ⓘ
90 degrees to the right of the wind in the Northern Hemisphere ⓘ |
| fieldOfStudy |
geophysical fluid dynamics
ⓘ
oceanography ⓘ |
| framework | Ekman layer theory ⓘ |
| governingEquation | M = τ / (ρ f) ⓘ |
| hasCause |
Coriolis effect
ⓘ
wind stress on the ocean surface ⓘ |
| hasParameter |
M (Ekman transport per unit width)
ⓘ
f (Coriolis parameter) ⓘ ρ (seawater density) ⓘ τ (wind stress) ⓘ |
| isLimitedBy |
frictional dissipation
ⓘ
stratification ⓘ |
| isPartOf |
Ekman layer
ⓘ
surface form:
Ekman spiral
|
| isRelatedTo |
Ekman layer
ⓘ
surface form:
Ekman pumping
Ekman layer ⓘ
surface form:
Ekman suction
coastal downwelling ⓘ coastal upwelling ⓘ |
| isTaughtIn | physical oceanography courses ⓘ |
| isUsedIn |
climate models
ⓘ
large-scale ocean circulation models ⓘ upwelling index calculations ⓘ |
| namedAfter | Vagn Walfrid Ekman ⓘ |
| netTransportDirection | perpendicular to the wind direction ⓘ |
| occursIn |
Ekman layer
ⓘ
upper ocean ⓘ |
| resultsFrom | balance between wind stress and Coriolis force ⓘ |
| typicalDepthRange | tens of meters ⓘ |
Referenced by (5)
Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.
this entity surface form:
Ekman pumping