1.1 Atmosphere Flashcards
Global Heat Budget
Curvature:
Earths curvature- suns rays less concentrated at poles, heat spread over larger area
Earths curvature- suns rays more concentrated at tropics, greater insolation (rays hit vertically)
Atmosphere:
Poles- sun rays have more atmosphere to travel through, increase concentration of sun reflected
Tropics- sun rays have less atmosphere to travel through, less energy lost from reflection, increases absorption
Albedo:
Albedo rates increase at poles- surface types like fresh snow reflect 0.95 of all light
Albedo rates decrease at tropics- surface types like desert sand reflect 0.15 of all light
Tilt:
Earths tilt at poles- suns rays spread energy over larger area, long periods of cold darkness
Earths tilt at tropics- receive direct sunlight, consistently warm temperatures
Atmospheric circulation- redistribution of energy
Hadley Cell- warm air rises at equator, creates low pressure
Warm air moves towards poles then cools and sinking at tropics, creates high pressure
Trade Winds move air back to equator, forms the Hadley Cell
Polar Cell- cold air sinks at poles, creates high pressure
Polar Easterlies move cold air towards equator, meets warm air and rises
Air moves back to poles, forms the Polar Cell
Ferrell Cell- between Hadley and Polar at 30° and 60° North and South
Transfers air between Hadley and Polar, creates the westerlies
Oceanic circulation- redistribution of energy
Ocean currents follow loops, flow clockwise in Northern Atlantic
Oceans move water from areas of surplus at equator to deficit at poles
Movement of warm and cold water maintains energy balance
Ocean currents in Atlantic are moved by prevailing winds
They are moved by deflection off landmasses
Coriolis Effect directs ocean currents right in N Hemisphere and left in S Hemisphere
Cold ocean currents are more dense and sink, warm ocean currents rise
Conveyer belt effect is created which moves energy towards poles
ITCZ- cT + mT
Tropical continental (cT) originates over Sahara Desert, north of ITCZ
Brings humidity and hot, unstable air with high precipitation
Tropical maritime (mT) originates over Atlantic Ocean, south of ITCZ
Brings low humidity and very hot, stable air with low precipitation
ITCZ- cause, characteristics, impact
Area of low pressure where air masses meet
Pushes maritime air up which cools and condenses forming clouds
ITCZ moves north in early year and south in later year, follows Thermal Equator
Places near coast influenced by wet mT air for majority of year
Places inland influenced by dry cT air for majority of year
