Theory 16/Coastal upwelling/Rate lens
Supply Is Divergence Rate
The claim
Nutrient supply to the surface is set by the rate of Ekman transport divergence rather than by wind stress magnitude.
01Mechanism
Upwelling requires transport away from the coast; the divergence sets the vertical velocity that carries nutrients.
02Prediction
Supply should track divergence rate.
03Refutation
Supply tracking wind stress would remove the divergence.