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Geography > A.D. Tropical Environments - Influences on Climate > Flashcards

A.D. Tropical Environments - Influences on Climate Flashcards

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1
Q

What are the 5 factors that influence climate?

A
  1. Latitude
  2. Ocean currents
  3. Continentality
  4. Altitude
  5. Relief
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2
Q

What is a climate?

A

general atmospheric condition in an area over a long period of time - 30 years

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3
Q

How are tropical environments classified?

A
  1. Rainforest climate
  2. Monsoon climate
  3. Savannah climate
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4
Q

What is an air mass?

A
  • huge volume of air
  • with same humidity and temperature
  • in areas they cover, they influence climate and create biomes
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5
Q

Where do source areas of air masses appear?

A

below air masses

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6
Q

What affects the humidity and temperature of source areas?

A

whether they are over land or sea

latitude - close to pole - colder

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7
Q

What are the two types of sources classified by latitude?

A

Equatorial

Subtropical

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8
Q

What are the characteristics of equatorial air masses?

A
  • both continental and maritime are without season, 25 degrees
  • both moist and neutral
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9
Q

What are the characteristics of subtropical air masses?

A
  • continental 15,25 degrees
  • maritime 18,25 degrees
  • stable to dry, neutral
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10
Q

What is the ITCZ?

A

Intertropical Convergence Zone

-a belt of low pressure around the equator where the trade winds meet

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11
Q

What are the characteristics of the ITCZ?

A
  • calm conditions due to trade winds not crossing the equator
  • high moisture, frequent precipitation, thunderstorms
  • amount of rainfall depends on the sun
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12
Q

What is another zone of similar conditions to ITCZ?

A

Zaire Air Boundary

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13
Q

How does the ITCZ work during the year?

A
  • at the equator there is an area of intense heating leading to rising air and moisture - low pressure area
  • from January to July:
    1. Tm air mass from the Gulf of Guinea warms up and forms a large cumulonimbus clouds
    2. Tc warm desert air moves high temperatures upwards
    3. As Tm moves over land it loses source of moisture and drops it
    4. Tc then moves back down before January
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14
Q

How do subtropical anticyclones affect weather?

A

high pressure brings clear, dry, calm weather
brings light winds
colder foggy winters

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15
Q

What causes ocean gyres?

A
  • trade winds move ocean currents
  • regions of convergence are formed where water piles up, forming small hills
  • this small elevation creates a difference in pressure where the centre has higher pressure
  • the pressure gradient pushes water down towards lower pressure
  • geostrophic flow causes the water to flow in a circle forming gyres
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16
Q

What are the examples of gyres?

A

North Pacific Gyre, South Pacific Gyre, North Atlantic Gyre, South Atlantic Gyre, Indian Ocean Gyre

17
Q

What impacts do gyres have?

A
  • West coast of Northern hemisphere is warmer

- East coast of Northern Hemisphere is cold and dry

18
Q

What determines the temperatures the winds bring?

A

where they originate

-over the sea: warmer in winter, colder in the summer because of the lag time

19
Q

What is a monsoon?

A

pattern of seasonal winds that experiences a reversal

20
Q

Describe the Indian monsoon:

A
  • moist air evaporating from the ocean coming across India

- winds driven by temperature differences over land and ocean

21
Q

What is the difference between a monsoon summer and winter?

A
  • summer: when the land is warm, the air expands and draws in the moisture from the ocean water
  • winter: very cold conditions causes moisture to draw back into the oceans
22
Q

What is an ENSO phase?

A

-a cycle that causes extreme conditions, swings from La Niña to El Niño, takes around 4 years to cycle

23
Q

What happens during the neutral phase of ENSO?

A
  • steady winds blow over the Pacific from east to west
  • there they pile up warm water
  • leaves the east cold
  • drives the Walker Circulation
24
Q

What happens during a La Niña?

A
  • trade winds blow harder
  • it cools the east pacific even more
  • increases the east to west temperature difference
  • causes a feedback loop
  • higher risk of flooding, tropical cyclones in Australia
25
Q

What is El Niño?

A
  • direct opposite to La Niña
  • Walker circulation breaks down
  • warmer waters drift back towards the East
  • with warmer water spread, evaporation and rain follows causing drought in Australia
26
Q

What is thermocline suppression?

A

the level of ocean depth that separates warm and cold water

27
Q

What is Peruvian upwelling and what happens to it during El Niño?

A

the bringing in of cold deep water up towards the surface that is full of nutrients
-during El Niño it gets halted

28
Q

What were the impacts of Typhoon Winnie?

A
  • 200 deaths
  • 1 billion dollars of damage
  • river with dangerous debris flowed in streets
  • eroded coastal highways
  • 68,000 lost power in Taiwan

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