4. Atmospheric Circulation And Wind Systems

Question 1

desertification

Answer 1

transformation of fertile land to desert, usually by overgrazing of livestock, deforestation, or natural drought

Question 2

anemometer

Answer 2

instrument used to measure wind speed

Question 3

wind vane

Answer 3

instrument used to measure wind direction

Question 4

aerovane

Answer 4

combination of anemometer and a wind vane; measures wind direction and speed

Question 5

prevailing wind

Answer 5

direction the wind blows most frequently during a specified window of time

Question 6

onshore wind

Answer 6

coastal wind flowing from sea to land

Question 7

offshore wind

Answer 7

coastal wind flowing from land to sea

Question 8

barometer

Answer 8

instrument used to measure air pressure

Question 9

thermal pressure

Answer 9

air pressure resulting from changes in temperature

Question 10

dynamic pressure

Answer 10

air pressure caused by air movement

Question 11

pressure-gradient force

Answer 11

force resulting from changes in barometric pressure across earth’s surface

Question 12

sea-level pressure

Answer 12

air pressure that has been adjusted to sea level

Question 13

isobar

Answer 13

a line drawn on a map connecting points of equal pressure. isobars are quantitative representations of the changing molecular density of the air over a geographic region

Question 14

coriolis effect

Answer 14

the perceived deflection of moving objects in relation to Earth’s surface

Question 15

boundary layer

Answer 15

layer of the atmosphere where wind is slowed by friction with Earth’s surface; extends about 1km above the surface

Question 16

Cyclone

Answer 16

meteorological system in which air flows toward a low-pressure region, creating counterclockwise circulation in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise circulation in the Southern Hemisphere

Question 17

anticyclone

Answer 17

meteorological system in which air flows away from a high-pressure region, creating clockwise circulation in the Northern Hemisphere and counterclockwise circulation in the Southern Hemisphere

Question 18

ITCZ (intertropical convergence zone)

Answer 18

global band of unstable, buoyant air parcels that tracks the migration of the subsolar point

Question 19

subtropical high

Answer 19

discontinuous belt of aridity and high pressure made up of anticyclones roughly centered on 30° north and south latitude

Question 20

subpolar low

Answer 20

belt of low pressure roughly centered on 60° north and south and made up of cyclonic systems that bring frequent precipitation

Question 21

polar high

Answer 21

area of cold, dense air at each pole that forms a zone of thermal high pressure

Question 22

trade winds

Answer 22

easterly surface winds found between the ITCZ and the subtropical high, between 0° and 30° north and south latitude

Question 23

doldrums

Answer 23

a low-wind region near the equator, associated with the ITCZ

Question 24

horse latitudes

Answer 24

the low-wind regions centered on 30° north amd south

Question 25

westerlies

Answer 25

surface winds that come from the west and are found in both hemispheres between the subpolar low and the subtropical high

Question 26

polar easterlies

Answer 26

cold, dry winds originating near both poles and flowing south amd east

Question 27

polar jet stream

Answer 27

a discontinuous narrow band of fast-flowing air found at high altitudes between 30° and 60° latitude in the Northern Hemisphere

Question 28

rossby wave

Answer 28

a large undulation in the upper-level westerlies

Question 29

sea breeze

Answer 29

local onshore breeze created by heating and cooling differences between water and land

Question 30

land breeze

Answer 30

local offshore breeze created by heating and cooling differences between water and land

Question 31

monsoon

Answer 31

seasonal reversal of winds, characterized by summer onshore airflow and winter offshore airflow

Question 32

valley breeze

Answer 32

local upslope breeze produced by heating and cooling differences in mountainous areas

Question 33

mountain breeze

Answer 33

local downslope breeze produced by heating and cooling differences in mountainous areas

Question 34

chinook wind

Answer 34

local downslope wind that forms on the leeward side of the Rocky Mountains

Question 35

foehn wind

Answer 35

downslope wind that forms on the leeward side of the European Alps

Question 36

santa ana winds

Answer 36

winds that originate in the Great Basin and are heated adiabatically as they descend to sea level on the southern California coast and northern Baja California; often associated with major wildfires

Question 37

katabatic wind

Answer 37

(or gravity wind) Wind that forms mainly over ice sheets or glaciers when intensely cold, dense, and heavy air spills downslope by the force of gravity