DEFINITION OF EKMAN SPIRALS

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The turning of water with depth as a result

of the Coriolis force. The spirals form because each (infinitesimally

thin) layer of the ocean water exerts a frictional drag

on the layer below, so that as the top layer moves, the layers

below move slightly less with each depth increment. Because

the Coriolis force causes moving objects to deflect to the right

in the Northern Hemisphere and to the left in the Southern

Hemisphere, each successively deeper layer will also be slightly

deflected to the right or left of the moving layer above.

These effects cause moving water on the surface to be succeeded

with depth by progressively slowing and turning particle

paths. The Ekman spirals typically extend to about 325

feet (100 m), where the water is actually moving in the opposite

direction to that of the surface water that caused the initial

flow. The movement of water by Eckman spirals causes a

net transport of water to the right of the direction of surface

water in the Northern Hemisphere, and to the left of the

direction of surface winds in the Southern Hemisphere. This

phenomenon is known as Ekman transport.

See also COASTAL DOWNWELLING; COASTAL UPWELLING;

CORIOLIS EFFECT.

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