Ekman Pumping
D1. Physical and chemical oceanography and marine meteorologyDefinition
Vertical motion driven by divergence or convergence of Ekman transport.
Ekman pumping is the vertical velocity at the base of the Ekman layer driven by horizontal divergence or convergence of Ekman transport. Positive wind-stress curl (cyclonic) produces upward pumping (Ekman suction) and upwelling; negative curl produces downward pumping and downwelling. This vertical forcing sets the interior Sverdrup transport and shapes the doming and bowling of isopycnals in cyclonic and anticyclonic gyres.