The Southern Caribbean Upwelling system (SCUS) is a low latitude tropical upwelling system , a system where due to multiple environmental and bathymetric conditions water from the deep sea is forced to the surface layers  . The SCUS is located at about 10°N on the southern coast of the Caribbean sea basin off Colombia, Venezuela, and Trinidad. The intensity of the Caribbean low-level jet (further explanation below) and the coastal orientation are determining the timing and spatial variability of this upwelling system. The system is likely to be responsible for a major part in the primary production due to the addition of nutrients that are added to the system through the upwelling. 427x427px |A comparison between the WUZ and EUZ showing the minimum and maximum values for: wind speed (W), Turbulence (Turb), alongshore wind speed (alongW), Offshore Ekman transport due too wind (offshET). Vertical transport due too Ekman pumping intergrated too 100k offshore (EP100), Sea Surface Temperature (SST), chlorophyll-a(Chl). There are two main upwelling zones in the system that vary in intensity throughout the year; The Western Upwelling Zone (WUZ); And the Eastern Upwelling Zone; (EUZ). The western the WUZ is situated between 74-71°W and generates mainly seasonal upwelling and high offshore transport due to intense winds. The EUZ, situated between 71-60°W is less intense but is more favourable for the upwelling throughout the year.  For thirty years after 1990, the upwelling has intensified which is producing cooling of the sea surface temperature (SST) in the WUZ, this is in contrast to the general temperature in the Caribbean sea which has shown to increase. The "typical" Caribbean surface water is a mixture of North Atlantic Surface Water (NASW) and riverine waters from the Orinoco and Amazon rivers.  Under the Caribbean surface waters more saline water is found with values close to those typical for the Subtropical Underwater (SUW) SA(salinity) ~37, Θ ~22 °C. This forms a subsurface maximum(SSM) of more saline water than the water on top of it. After the rainy season the SSM is lower due to dilution of the surface waters. Characterization of the SCUS Sinces 1994 variations in upwelling are studied using cycles of satellite SST  . The SST this is used as a proxy for upwelling (explained in more detail below) in this tropical region As well as the dominant winds and chlorophyll a. These are all proxies that are relatively easy to measure and quite easily accessible. 514x514px|Upwelling zones in the Southern Caribbean The Rossby radius  changes the positioning of the upwelling relative to the coastline. The Rossby radius for this region is ~19 km; estimated using a mean depth h= 35m, gravity g = 9,81 m s -1. The upwelling zones are found close to the coast roughly withing the 19 km found within the Rossby radius. However, in rare cases upwelled water moves offshore by over 250 km from the coast. Upwelled waters in the SCUS are consistent in geochemical compositions with the "Subtropical Underwater" , which is a water mass that comes from the central Atlantic and due to its relative dense water properties (SA (salinity) ~37g per kg water, Temperature ~22 °C) lays under the Caribbean surface waters , and is likely to come from this water mass. Wind 357x357px|Seasonal differences in wind and connected SST. b and c show the wind in December and SST that comes with it. d and e show the same in February. The trade winds that blow over the southern Caribbean Sea, amplified by the Caribbean low-level jet generate northward Ekman transport. The intensity of the trade winds varies per season ( image 2 shows the WUZ b) and c) in December and d) and e) in February) and explains the variation in upwelling and the measured differences in SST that are mentioned above. The driving forces of the Ekman transport is wind-stress or "τ" (wind stress on the seasurface). The driving winds are divided in multiple areas; East of 68°W has relative stable wind speeds (>6 m ), and slightly lower during August–November (4 – 6 m ). Biological impact Nutrient concentrations that come with the water from the SUW have a strong positive impact on the phytoplankton productivity. It is estimated that up to 95\% of the small pelagic biomass is the southern Caribbean sea is sustained by the primary production that comes with these upwelled waters.
The Southern Caribbean Upwelling system (SCUS) is a low latitude tropical upwelling system . Where; due to multiple environmental and bathymetric conditions water from the deep sea is forced to the surface layers of the ocean . The SCUS is located at about 10°N on the southern coast of the Caribbean sea basin off Colombia, Venezuela, and Trinidad. 386x386px |A comparison between the WUZ and EUZ showing the minimum and maximum values for: Wind speed (W), Turbulence (Turb), alongshore wind speed (alongW), Offshore Ekman transport due too wind (offshET). Vertical transport due too Ekman pumping intergrated too 100k offshore (EP100), Sea Surface Temperature (SST), chlorophyll-a(Chl). There are two main upwelling zones in the system that vary in intensity throughout the year; The Western Upwelling Zone (WUZ); And the Eastern Upwelling Zone; (EUZ). The western the WUZ is situated between 74-71°W and generates mainly seasonal upwelling and high offshore transport due to intense winds. The EUZ, situated between 71-60°W is less intense but is more favourable for the upwelling throughout the year. General information For thirty years after 1990, the upwelling has intensified which is producing cooling of the sea surface temperature (SST) in the WUZ, this is in contrast to the general temperature in the Caribbean sea which has shown to increase. The "typical" Caribbean surface water is a mixture of North Atlantic Surface Water (NASW) and riverine waters from the Orinoco and Amazon rivers. The intensity of the Caribbean low-level jet (further explanation below) and the coastal orientation are determining the timing and spatial variability of this upwelling system. The system is likely to be responsible for a major part in the primary production due to the addition of nutrients that are added to the system through the upwelling. Under the Caribbean surface waters more saline water is found with values close to those typical for the Subtropical Underwater (SUW) SA(salinity) ~37, Θ ~22 °C. This forms a subsurface maximum(SSM) of more saline water than the water on top of it. After the rainy season the SSM is lower due to dilution of the surface waters. Characterization of the SCUS Sinces 1994 variations in upwelling are studied using cycles of satellite SST (Sea surface Temperature) . The SST this is used as a proxy for upwelling (explained in more detail below) in this tropical region As well as the dominant winds and chlorophyll a. These are all proxies that are relatively easy to measure and quite easily accessible. 514x514px|Upwelling zones in the Southern Caribbean shown through SST Data. Location and source of the SCUS The location of the SCUS is depending on the Rossby radius or R. The rossby radius changes the positioning of the upwelling relative to the coastline. The Rossby radius for this region is ~19 km; estimated using a mean depth h= 35m, gravity g = 9,81 m s -1. The upwelling zones are found close to the coast roughly withing the 19 km found within the Rossby radius. However, in rare cases upwelled water moves offshore by over 250 km from the coast. Upwelled waters in the SCUS are consistent in geochemical compositions with the "Subtropical Underwater" . This is a water mass that comes from the central Atlantic and due to its relative dense water properties (SA (salinity) ~37g per kg water, Temperature ~22 °C) lays under the Caribbean surface waters . Because the properties are so similar to the water that is upwelled in the SCUS its likely that the water comes from this water mass. Wind 357x357px|Seasonal differences in wind and connected SST. b and c show the wind in December and SST that comes with it. d and e show the same in February. The trade winds that blow over the southern Caribbean Sea, amplified by the Caribbean low-level jet generate northward Ekman transport. The intensity of the trade winds varies per season ( the image of the Seasonal differences shows the WUZ b) and c) in December and d) and e) in February) and explains the variation in upwelling and the measured differences in SST that are mentioned above. The driving forces of the Ekman transport is wind-stress or "τ" (wind stress on the seasurface). The driving winds are divided in multiple areas; East of 68°W has relative stable wind speeds (>6 m ), and slightly lower during August–November (4 – 6 m ). Biological impact As mentioned in the Chlorphyll-a section, nutrient concentrations that come with the water from the SUW have a strong positive impact on the phytoplankton productivity. It is estimated that up to 95\% of the small pelagic biomass is the southern Caribbean sea is sustained by the primary production that comes with these upwelled waters.
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The intensity of the Caribbean low-level jet (further explanation below) and the coastal orientation are determining the timing and spatial variability of this upwelling system. The system is likely to be responsible for a major part in the primary production due to the addition of nutrients that are added to the system through the upwelling. 427x427px
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General information
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The intensity of the Caribbean low-level jet (further explanation below) and the coastal orientation are determining the timing and spatial variability of this upwelling system. The system is likely to be responsible for a major part in the primary production due to the addition of nutrients that are added to the system through the upwelling.
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(Sea surface Temperature)
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Location and source of the SCUS The location of the SCUS is depending on the Rossby radius or R. The rossby radius
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As mentioned in the Chlorphyll-a section, nutrient