The Ekman mechanism also drives Equatorial Upwelling. Recall that near the equator, trade winds blow
toward the west. These winds transport water poleward in both
hemispheres, forcing cold
deeper waters to the surface at the equator. It turns out
that deep waters are very rich in
nutrients.
For this reason,
zones of upwelling can
be very clearly seen
from satellite
images of chlorophyll,
the chemical that
makes plants green.