EAS100 Lecture 28: EAS 100 Lecture 28 - Circulation and Wind in the Atmosphere
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Eas 100 lecture 28 atmospheric circulation, wind, and weather. Atmospheric circulation: sun directly hits the equator, air is warmer and rises towards the poles, cools near the poles and sinks, continuous cycle, coriolis deflections effects any free-floating mass above the earth. Inter tropical convergence zone where the two major circulation cycles meet at the equator: won"t always be perfectly at the equator! Remember earth is tilted: fluctuates between tropic of cancer and tropic of capricorn. Geostrophic flow: winds generate from high to low pressure, when flow is parallel to isobars, pressure-gradient is balanced by the coriolis effect, as pressure increases, the coriolis effect increases, wind must be flowing fast enough, affects global circulation! Distribution of pressure: high pressure at poles and subtropical high-pressure areas, subpolar low areas have rising air causing low pressure, polar front tropical and polar air masses converge. Surface winds: westerly wind coming from the west, easterly wind coming from the east, dominate equatorial areas trade winds".