downwelling
Sign in to savethumb|Schematic of coastal downwelling in the Northern Hemisphere.|300x300pxDownwelling is the downward movement of a fluid parcel and its properties (e.g., salinity, temperature, pH) within a larger fluid. It is closely related to upwelling, the upward movement of fluid.
~14 min read
Article
15 sectionsContents
- Mechanisms
- Buoyancy
- Wind-driven Ekman transport
- Buoyancy-forced downwelling
- Wind-forced downwelling
- Subtropical gyres
- Coastal downwelling
- Langmuir circulation
- Association with other ocean features
- Eddies
- Fronts and filaments
- Variability
- Effects on ocean biogeochemistry
- References
- External links
thumb|Schematic of coastal downwelling in the Northern Hemisphere.|300x300pxDownwelling is the downward movement of a fluid parcel and its properties (e.g., salinity, temperature, pH) within a larger fluid. It is closely related to upwelling, the upward movement of fluid.
While downwelling is most commonly used to describe an oceanic process, it's also used to describe a variety of Earth phenomena. This includes mantle dynamics, air movement, and movement in freshwater systems (e.g., large lakes). This article will focus on oceanic downwelling and its important implications for ocean circulation and biogeochemical cycles. Two primary mechanisms transport water downward: buoyancy forcing and wind-driven Ekman transport (i.e., Ekman pumping).