Lecture 1

Question 1

energy source that drives the circulation

Answer 1

the Sun! And the unbalanced distribution of the suns energy on the Earth.

Question 2

Long term energy source of earth circulation

Answer 2

radioactive decay and its production of heat

Question 3

wehy does wind occur?

Answer 3

horizontal movement and vertical movement caused by differences in pressure and mechanical reasons, vertica

Question 4

Coriolis Effect

Answer 4

the apparent tendency for a fluid , moving across earths surface to be deflected from its straight-line path. North -South moving object would curve East or west- however, if we were to see this from space, it would appear to be travelling on a straight path (it depends on your frame of reference).

Question 5

Distribution of surface winds

Answer 5

-Polar HIgh
-Polar Easterlies
-Subpolar low
-Westerlies
-Subtropical High
-Northeast Trades
-Intertropical Convergence zone
- Southeast Trades
Subtropical HIgh
- Westerlies
-Subpolar Low
-Polar Easterlies
-Polar HIgh

Question 6

what is an ‘Easterly’ wind

Answer 6

wind that blows FROM the East to the west

Question 7

Doldrums

Answer 7

Where winds are light and Frequently change direction, this happens at the equator

Question 8

Cyclones

Answer 8

small areas of low pressure form due to pressure gradients and sue to higher processes in the troposphere. Air blow into the region and curves right, (In the north). Local circular flow - Cyclone.

Question 9

Anticyclone

Answer 9

air flowing out of a high pressure region curveig to the right and causing a circular flow

Question 10

Extra tropical cylones

Answer 10

Low pressure systems that form outside the tropics.

Warm and cold air attemt to mix- but there is extensive uplift of the warmer air as they do not mix easily. Results in formation of rain or snow

Question 11

Geostropic Wind

Answer 11

BAlance of the Pressure GRadient Force and the force ue to the Coriolis Effect. Pressure gradient acts perpendicular to isobars in the direction of low pressure. . Coriolis effect is opposite to the is and the Geostrophic wind (Vg) is then parallel to Isobars.

Question 12

Time when Earth is closest to the sun:

Answer 12

Perihelion

Question 13

Time when Earth is furthest from the Sun

Answer 13

Aphelion

Question 14

Obliquity

Answer 14

Angle of Earths spin axis relative to a line drawn perpendicular to the plane of the planets orbit around the sun. Earth = 23.5 degrees

Question 15

Movement of ITCZ due to seasos

Answer 15

MAximum northwards position late in northern Hemisphere summer, and move down to South in the north hemisphere winter.

Question 16

Seasonal changes in the Upper troposphere

Answer 16

more intense wind speeds in teh winter and jet stream move northwards. Distance between the pole and the ITCZ is smaller and therefore the pressure gradient is steeper in winter for that hemisphere.