Fronts are regions of strong horizontal density gradients in the ocean.
The strong horizontal pressure gradients generated at the front are often balanced by the Coriolis force, leading to strong along-front currents. When these two forces are not perfectly balanced, vertical circulations can be generated at the front. Fronts are typically the site of subsurface patches of phytoplankton, however, we do not have a good understanding of the physical and biological processes that maintain these patches. One of the forcings known to have a strong influence on fronts is the wind. This model showed that wind can stimulate the formation of phytoplankton patches, and that the wind direction relative to the front strongly determines the resulting patch structure.