Air Currents Notes Flashcards
How does uneven heating of Earth’s surface result in air movement?
How are air currents on Earth affected by Earth’s spin?
What are the main wind belts on Earth?
Why does unequal heating occur?
The amount of energy or heat an area gets depends on the sun’s angle, “Direct” and “Indirect” heating
High pressure
is cold, dense air that sinks
Winter in the polar regions
There isn’t a balance in the radiation recieved and expelled, resulting in the extreme cold temperatures
Wind
Wind is the movement of air from areas of high pressure to low pressure.
Warm and Cold air
Warm air is less dense, which causes the tropics to have a lower air pressure than the poles
Current
describes how water or air flows in a larger body of water or air
Atmospheric Circulation
The air at the equator is heated up and rises towards the poles. It starts to cool down and sink and the high pressure air goes back to the equator to the low pressure zone
starts over
Hadley Cell*
Low latitude air movement toward the equator that with heating, rises vertically, with poleward movement in the upper atmosphere. This forms a convection cell that dominates tropical and sub-tropical climates.
Ferrel Cell*
A mid-latitude atmospheric circulation cell for weather. In this cell the air flows poleward and eastward near the surface and equatorward and westward at higher levels.
Polar Cell*
Air rises, diverges, and travels toward the poles. Once over the poles, the air sinks, forming the polar highs. At the surface air diverges outward from the polar highs. Surface winds in the polar cell are easterly (polar easterlies).
“Bands”
Between these cells, two bands are located at (high pressure) 30 degrees N/S and (low pressure) 50 - 60 degrees N/S
High pressure weather
fair and dry/hot weather (many deserts at 30 degrees N/S)
