Atmospheric Circulation Flashcards
What is misrepresentative about the tri-cellular model?
It assumes that there are three perfectly rounded cells that are of equal size and proportion
What is the reality of the tri-cellular model?
The three cells are much more obscure in shape and proportion to each other. There is also an element of crossover between the cells
In regards to the angle of incidence, why is air warmer at the tropics compared to the poles?
At the tropics there is a very high angle of incidence that means the incoming radiation is highly concentrated and therefore intense causing greater warming relative to the poles where there is a very low angle of incidence and the rays are spread out over a greater area and are therefore less intense
What direction does heat travel in the atmosphere?
From equator to poles
Why does the air travelling from the equator to the poles not cover the whole distance and only reach the mid latitudes?
The Coriolis force causes the air flow to divert to the right in the northern hemisphere and to the left in the southern hemisphere. This means that the energy used to take it from the equator to poles is wasted - instead of being used to go direct it gets used to divert.
What happens to a body of air’s speed as it moves from the equator to the pole?
At the equator air is travelling at the speed at which the earth rotates exactly. As you move to higher latitudes the air mass wants to travel the same speed as it did at the equator meaning it gains angular momentum from clinging to the point of rotation and so travels further round the axis.
What happens when two opposing air flows meet?
Two directionally opposing winds form a rotating system. Depending on the density balance between these two air flows this creates either a cyclone or an anticyclone
