GEOG 141 Lecture Notes - Lecture 7: Intertropical Convergence Zone, Jet Stream, Thermohaline Circulation

• School: University of Oregon
• Department: Geography
• Course: GEOG 141
• Professor: Aaron Zettlerman

Document Summary

Polar jet streams sift dramatically, drives weather patterns. Intertropical convergence zone migration due to migration of thermal equator and seasonal changes in radiation. Roughly where itcz is iclicker question 3: january. Regional wind systems that change direction with seasons. Occur over india/se asia/indonesia, northern australia, equatorial africa. Driven by shift in itcz and continentality (land-water heating difference) Cold, dry air moves from land to ocean (high to low) Hot, rising air at itcz pulls in warm, wet air from ocean to land (high to low) Two key types of ocean currents: surface currents: driven primarily by wind, deep currents: driven by differences in temperature and salinity (thermohaline circulation) Heat transfer: typical temperature profiles: mixed layer constant temperature and salinity, thermocline changing temperature and salinity (as we get deeper, it gets cooler, deep ocean layer density and temperature (more dense at bottom, less dense at top) Gyres generalized ocean circulation patterns (where trash islands accumulate think of a sink draining)