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Figure 2: CFC concentration throughout the North Atlantic deep ocean http://www.ocean.washington.edu/people/faculty/susanh/423/Graphics/CFC.NAtl.jpg
Conclusions
The Ekman layer of the ocean is influenced by atmospheric forcings, which ultimately impact various features of ocean surfaces as well as the layers below. The balance between the vertical and horizontal motions in the ocean layers prescribed by the Sverdrup balance, predict the direction of ocean flows. However, in both the thermocline and abyss a boundary current is necessary to maintain mass conservation requirements.
Data from the wet-lab experiments correspond well to observations available from global ocean research. The results indicate equator-ward interior motions in the midlatitudes of the thermocline and pole-ward motions in the higher latitudes. In the abyss, a global upwelling of deep ocean water corresponds to a pole-ward flow. The western boundary current of the thermocline counteracts the equator-ward motions with a quick return flow pole-ward on the western edge of the ocean basin while the abyss WBC flow in the opposite meridional direction, instituting a equator-ward return flow.
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