Which mechanism causes nutrient upwelling along the western coast of South America?

💡 Explanation

When winds blow parallel to the coastline, Ekman transport occurs because the Coriolis effect deflects the surface water offshore, causing deeper, nutrient-rich water to rise. Therefore, upwelling primarily results from Ekman transport rather than geostrophic flow, thermohaline overturning, or tidal resonance, which operate through different mechanisms and scales.

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