Global Air circulation
What happens at the equator?
Warm air rises and cool air drops and the cycle repeats
What is "the" jet stream?
"The" jet stream is a polar jet stream that flows South in the winter and North in the summer.
all hurricanes are born between which latitudes?
10-15 degrees north and south
The Hadley Cell drags air down at about
30ºN and S.
The Polar Cell causes an uplift at about
60ºN and S.
What is a jet stream?
A jet stream is a fast-flowing river of air in a boundary between the troposphere and the stratosphere.
characteristics of hadely cells
Air cools and begins to fall at about 30ºN and 30ºS of Equator. Cooled air returns to the Equator. Heat energy is transferred from the Equator to sub-tropical latitudes.
formation of the polar cell
At about 60ºN and 60 ºS,the cold polar air is warmed in contact with the earth's surface.This warmed air rises and returns polewards, carrying heat energy. This circular motion is called the POLAR CELL.
Why does the air that is sinking at 30-degrees north and south create deserts?
Because the air sinks it heats up a bit and increases its energy it doesn't leave the 30 degree area. Causing the area to become hot and dry.
Why does a flight across the United States from San Francisco to New York City take less time than the reverse trip?
Because wind patterns are westerly, move west to east making it faster to fly across the country.
How are winds named?
By the direction they come in.
What creates the Trade Winds?
Created by strong evaporation and warming in the atmosphere around the equator.
Polar cells characteristics
Intensely cold, dense air sinks at the poles, then blows as surface winds towards the Equator.
What is the name of the zone at 30-degrees? Is this a high or low-pressure zone? Is there a lot of precipitation?
It is called Horse latitudes and it has a high pressure and a low amount of precipitation.
At what latitudes are the three convection cells in the Northern and three in the Southern Hemisphere?
Northern - 0 degrees, 30 degrees north, 50 degrees north Southern- 0 degrees, 30 degrees south, 50 degrees south
Where on a circulation cell is there typically precipitation and where is there typically evaporation?
On a circulation cell precipitation is typically in low pressure areas. Evaporation is normally in high pressure areas because it causes these areas to dry up.
What happens to the air that sinks at the poles? What are the winds created?
The air that sinks moves along the 60 degrees N/S and rises. They are called Polar easterlies.
Hadely cells
The convention currents that cycle between the equator at 0-30° N and S and this way
Which two air masses clash at the polar front?
The polar easterlies and westerlies.
What is the name of the zone at the equator? Is this a high or low-pressure zone? Is there a lot of precipitation?
The zone at the equator is called the doldrums and it has a low pressure area and causes a lot of precipitation.
What would wind at the surface do if Earth did not rotate?
Then the wind would go North or South because nothing is in its way to deflect its path.
Which winds are created as air moves from 30 to 60 degrees? Which way do those winds move in the northern and southern hemispheres?
Westerlies winds are created and they curve to the right in the northern and to the left in the southern hemisphere.
Polar cells are where?
at the poles of the earth (90 north and 90 south)
the trade winds blow steadily from subtropical heights toward the _____
equator
ferrel cell is caused by
friction where air is in contact with the other two cells.