BIOA02H3 Lecture Notes - Lecture 9: Northern Hemisphere, Coriolis Force, Thermohaline Circulation

• School: UTSC
• Department: Biological Sciences
• Course: BIOA02H3
• Professor: Stephen Reid

Document Summary

Varies across the earth"s surface, tropical zones (23. 5o n and 23. 5o s usually have the highest insolation) Decreases with solar range, poles have less insolation than the equator. There is variation in insolation that drives hydrological cycles through evaporation: orbital forcings and solar insolation: Elliptical orbits tilt the earth so that sunlight hits the earth at different areas during the year. This allows for variation in insolation & as a result we get seasonal changes. Tundra), while some areas have moderate climates (support tropical forests). There is also variation in climate in north and. Nor: subsidence is the process by which the air cools when it becomes denser which then moves towards the ground, as warm air becomes less dense and moves upwards. Cooler air is capable of holding less water vapor than warmer air. As air cools, this water vapor is forced to condense, depositing rain or snow on windward slopes.