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.
The processes that capture carbon from the atmosphere and store it on the seabed are crucial for climate balance. However, assessing these mechanisms is often complicated because it requires measurements ranging from the ...
Earth Sciences
6 hours ago
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The Southern Ocean has long stood out as an oddity in the global climate system. While most of the planet's surface oceans have warmed in response to rising greenhouse gases, waters circling Antarctica showed an unexpected ...
El Niño, characterized by warmer-than-normal water temperatures in parts of the equatorial Pacific, made its return in June 2026. Observations of sea surface height from the Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich satellite that month ...
Earth Sciences
Jun 21, 2026
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Ice-age sea-level declines may have turned seafloor volcanoes into natural iron fertilizer for plankton, potentially enhancing ocean carbon storage, Boston College researchers report in the journal Nature Geoscience.
Earth Sciences
Jun 10, 2026
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Ocean currents are not just horizontal motions that flow from side to side. There are also vertical currents that act like deep-sea elevators, pushing heat and carbon down into the deep, while bringing up vital nutrients ...
A new study combining NASA satellite observations, ocean surveys and genetic testing of marine microorganisms found evidence that warming ocean waters may be limiting nutrient availability across much of the global ocean. ...
Earth Sciences
Jun 8, 2026
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El Niño is a recurring climate event with impacts across the globe. It has three phases: one cold (known as La Niña), one neutral, and one warm (El Niño).
Earth Sciences
Jun 3, 2026
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More than 40 years after the end of commercial whaling, new research reveals a recent increase in sightings of the world's two largest whale species in the southeastern Atlantic. The findings, published in the African Journal ...
Plants & Animals
May 22, 2026
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Researchers at National Taiwan University and partner institutions have uncovered new evidence that Antarctic Intermediate Water (AAIW)—a distinct layer sitting 500–1,500 meters below the ocean surface—played a pivotal role ...
Earth Sciences
May 18, 2026
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New research reveals a powerful yet overlooked driver of climate change: intensifying ocean eddies. These swirling currents—that break off from major currents—are redistributing heat and nutrients in the ocean and amplifying ...
Earth Sciences
Apr 15, 2026
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