GEL 10 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Subtropics, Atmospheric Circulation, Hadley Cell
Document Summary
Atmospheric and oceanic circulation work together to redistribute earth"s heat energy. Together they thermoregulate our global climate system. The sun"s heat energy initiates atmospheric and oceanic circulation by setting up latitudinal temperature gradients. Atmospheric circulation is initiated in the tropics. Earth"s atmospheric and oceanic circulation is perturbed by the position of land masses and the coriolis effect. The pattern of surface oceanic circulation mirrors atmospheric wind patterns and forms the upper limb of the thermohaline conveyor belt. Net radiation balance on earth"s surface = difference between incoming solar radiation and heat emitted by earth. Imbalance across globe sets up a latitudinal temperature gradient. Imbalances in temperature drive the movement of air currents. In turn, heat energy is transported from locations of surplus to those of deficit. Changes in buoyancy of air by heating at the earth"s surface and by cooling in the overlying atmosphere create convective air currents.
