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Geolens

Glossary

417 words used in the labs.

Find a term from the labs, understand the process behind it, and see how it appears in the landscape. Each entry connects an explanation with a real observation and a model you can explore.

Term

Eastern boundary current

A current along the eastern side of an ocean basin, such as the Canary Current. In subtropical gyres these currents are usually broader, slower and cooler than western boundary currents, and coastal winds can also support upwelling.

What to look for

Aqua MODIS, 5 May 2020. Upwelling in the Canary Current system supplies nutrients off Mauritania. The visible green water contains phytoplankton and sediment; it is not a temperature map.

Related labs

Ocean currents →
Green phytoplankton and sediment-rich water off Mauritania's desert coast, observed by Aqua MODIS.
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Explore further with USGS water glossary · USGS volcano glossary · NPS glacial geology · NASA Earth facts. Photograph acknowledgements are collected on the Image credits page.