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What causes upwelling in the ocean?

What causes upwelling in the ocean?

Upwelling is a process in which currents bring deep, cold water to the surface of the ocean. Upwelling is a result of winds and the rotation of the Earth. The Earth rotates on its axis from west to east. Because of this rotation, winds tend to veer right in the northern hemisphere and left in the southern hemisphere.

What makes upwellings and Downwellings occur?

What makes upwellings and downwellings occur? A coastal upwelling and downwellings occurs when the wind blows offshore ore parallel to shore. Sometimes they occur when offshore wind creates a current that pushes the surface water out to sea.

How ocean currents are created?

Ocean currents can be caused by wind, density differences in water masses caused by temperature and salinity variations, gravity, and events such as earthquakes or storms. These currents move water masses through the deep ocean—taking nutrients, oxygen, and heat with them.

What causes upwelling in the oceans quizlet?

Upwelling is caused by wind that blows parallel to the coastline. The wind causes the water to move perpendicular to it, away from the coast. When the water near the coastline moves away, deeper ocean water must replace it. The water moves vertically up towards the surface.

What are 3 areas of upwelling in the world?

Worldwide, there are five major coastal currents associated with upwelling areas: the Canary Current (off Northwest Africa), the Benguela Current (off southern Africa), the California Current (off California and Oregon), the Humboldt Current (off Peru and Chile), and the Somali Current (off Somalia and Oman).

What does phytoplankton do for the ocean?

Phytoplankton provide organic matter for the organisms that comprise the vast majority of marine life. They do this by consuming carbon dioxide that would otherwise dissolve in the sea water and make it more acidic. The organisms provide organic matter for the vast majority of the marine food chain.

What forces are responsible for the movement of ocean water in current?

Ocean currents are the continuous, predictable, directional movement of seawater driven by gravity, wind (Coriolis Effect), and water density. Ocean water moves in two directions: horizontally and vertically. Horizontal movements are referred to as currents, while vertical changes are called upwellings or downwellings.

What are the 3 major places where upwelling is common in the ocean?

Which of these is least likely to be seen in Epipelagic?

Diatoms and dinoflagellates. Which of these is least likely to be seen in the epipelagic? Deposit feeders.

How does downwelling happen?

Downwelling occurs when the water on the surface of the sea becomes denser than the water beneath it and so it sinks. Seawater gets denser when it gets colder or saltier.

Which is event typically causes upwelling?

In some areas, upwelling is a seasonal event leading to periodic bursts of productivity similar to spring blooms in coastal waters. Wind-induced upwelling is generated by temperature differences between the warm, light air above the land and the cooler denser air over the sea.

Where does upwelling occur?

Upwelling occurs in the open ocean and along coastlines. The reverse process, called “ downwelling ,” also occurs when wind causes surface water to build up along a coastline and the surface water eventually sinks toward the bottom.

Why is upwelling important?

Upwelling is very important in bringing nutrients from the ocean floor up to the coastal zones, where a greater number of organisms can benefit. This also brings up very cold water, which create a fairly stable ecosystem (a good example being the kelp forests off the coast of California). Algae reap the biggest benefits from this.