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Home  Education  Currents  Ekman Spiral
  << Back Ekman spiral The Ekman spiral occurs as a consequence of the Coriolis effect. When  surface water molecules are moved by the wind, they drag deeper layers  of water molecules below them. Like surface water, the deeper water is  deflected by the Coriolis effect—to the right in the Northern  Hemisphere and to the left in the Southern Hemisphere. As a result,  each successively deeper layer of water moves more slowly to the right  or left, creating a spiral effect.


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