Which of the following statements is true about an Ekman spiral?
A)The net flow of a wind-driven surface current in the Northern Hemisphere will flow at about a 50 ° angle to the wind.
B)With increasing depth, each layer will move faster than the overlying layer of water.
C)Because of Ekman transport, at some friction depth, water will be moving in the opposite direction from the surface current.
D)An Ekman spiral is not influenced by the Coriolis effect.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Ekman transport causes water to move at an angle to the wind direction, creating a spiral pattern. At a certain depth, friction from the layers above creates a boundary layer where the water moves in the opposite direction from the surface current. This is known as the Ekman layer or frictional layer. This opposite direction movement in the Ekman layer is what creates the spiral pattern, hence the name Ekman spiral. The Coriolis effect plays a significant role in the creation of an Ekman spiral.

Which of the Following Statements Is True About an Ekman