Natural Hazards and the Global Atmospheric Circulation model Flashcards
Define Natural Hazard
A threat to people and property caused by nature.
Define mitigation
When people reduce the causes of hazard to their lives
Define adaptation
When people respond to change to limit its impact or take advantage of the change
How do you calculate risk?
Severity * Likelihood
Define disaster
The realisation of the hazard
State some physical factors that affect risk
- Speed of onset
- Magnitude of event (How big it is)
- Duration (How long it lasts)
- Frequency (How often it happens)
State some human factors that affect risk
- Population Density
- Buildings (height, design)
- Economic cost
- Death toll
State the Global Atmospheric Circulation model
- Hot air rises up from the Inter Tropical Conversion Zone through the atmosphere which then cools and condenses.
- The pressure at the surface is low.
- This creates huge cumilonimbus clouds.
- As the air moves North and South it cools, then sinks back down at 30° N and S.
- The pressure at the surface is high.
- Some air goes back to the equator as trade winds
- Some air continues further N and S
What is the weather like at the equator?
- Hot and lots of precipitation
What ecosystem is found at the equator?
Tropical rainforests
What ecosystems are found at the Tropic of cancer and capricorn?
Deserts
What is the weather like at the tropic of cancer and tropic of capricorn?
Hot and dry
Name the three cells in the global atmospheric circulation model
- Hadley Cell (Nearest to equator)
- Ferrell Cell
- Polar Cell (Furthest from equator)
Between what degrees North and South is the Hadley Cell?
- 0° - 30°
Between what degrees North and South is the Ferrell Cell?
- 30° - 60°
