Upwelling is an oceanographic phenomenon in which deeper, typically colder and nutrient-rich water is transported toward the surface, primarily driven by wind-induced divergence of surface waters and the action of the Coriolis force. Along eastern ocean boundaries, along-equatorward winds generate Ekman transport that moves surface water offshore, causing compensatory upward flow from depth. Equatorial upwelling occurs where trade winds cause divergence of surface waters on either side of the equator. Upwelling strongly influences primary productivity, biogeochemical cycling, and thermal structure in the upper ocean, and is a key control on regional climate and fisheries in major eastern boundary current systems.
A new Stanford University study has helped solve a mystery about dramatic swings in sea ice extent around Antarctica.
Earth Sciences
Mar 28, 2026
0
299
In 2016, Antarctic sea ice, which had previously shown record expansion, shifted rapidly toward unusually low levels. This abrupt shift left scientists scratching their heads, wondering why it had vanished so quickly despite ...
When the supercontinent Pangea began to fragment around 200 million years ago during the Early Jurassic, it reshaped the face of the planet. Vast new oceans opened, continents drifted apart and the familiar geography of today ...
Yesterday, an international team of researchers from various disciplines set off aboard the German research vessel METEOR for an expedition along the west coast of Africa, led by the GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research ...
Earth Sciences
Feb 17, 2026
0
13
A new study shows that during the last two deglaciations, i.e., the transition from an ice age to the warm interglacial periods, meltwater from the Antarctic ice sheet intensified stratification in the Southern Ocean. The ...
Earth Sciences
Feb 14, 2026
2
154
Seamounts and the oxygen minimum zone (OMZ) are two typical deep-sea habitats that often coexist. However, determining whether the "seamount effect" alters OMZ structure through marine stratification, thereby influencing ...
Earth Sciences
Feb 5, 2026
0
15
Narrow bands of ocean covering just over one-third of the world's seas are responsible for absorbing nearly three-quarters of the carbon dioxide that oceans pull from the atmosphere, new research shows. The study, published ...
Earth Sciences
Jan 27, 2026
2
43
The natural phenomenon of upwelling, which occurs annually in the Gulf of Panama, failed for the first time on record in 2025. A study led by scientists from the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) indicates that ...
Earth Sciences
Sep 1, 2025
4
3851
Deep below the surface of the ocean, unseen waves roil and churn the water. These internal waves, traveling between water layers of different temperatures and densities, draw cold, nutrient-rich water up from the depths and ...
Earth Sciences
Jul 25, 2025
0
64
Research led by Earth scientists at the University of Southampton has uncovered evidence of rhythmic surges of molten mantle rock rising from deep within the Earth beneath Africa. These pulses are gradually tearing the continent ...
Earth Sciences
Jun 25, 2025
0
1184
