An Ocean in Motion 

Earth's oceans are an interconnected highway, transporting nutrients, carbon, and heat around the world. This data visualization of ocean currents was created using the second version of a model called Estimating the Circulation and Climate of the Ocean (ECCO 2). It's built using real world data from satellites, buoys and other in-situ measurements. 

In this visualization, near-surface currents are white, and deeper currents are blue. Near the coast, strong winds can blow surface water out to sea, clearing the way for colder, nutrient-rich water to rise from the depths — a process called upwelling. This upwelling of nutrients fuels the growth of phytoplankton populations near the surface, which serve as the backbone of the marine foodweb, giving rise to fisheries and other ocean-bound ecosystems. Researchers rely on observations and models such as those used to make this visualization to advance our understanding of the relationship between ocean dynamics and the whole Earth system. 


For more information: 
https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/5425/ 

This page is public information, but is intended only to be used by hyperwall presenters. Please do not link to this page from public websites.