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.