GEOG 155 Chapter Notes - Chapter 9: Intertropical Convergence Zone, Polar Easterlies, Astrophysical Jet
Document Summary
Adding rotation of earth to the above model would produce surface northeasterly winds in the n hemisphere and southeasterly winds in the s hemisphere. Zonal flow: the wind flows mainly parallel to lines of latitude in some areas. Meridional flow: refers to the north-south flow along a meridian of longitude. The cooled, poleward-moving air descends in a broad region centered approximately 30 degrees n and s. Descending air produces a belt of high pressure at the surface near both these latitudes, two high-pressure belts are subtropical highs. The trade winds and the westerlies: northeast trades: air returning toward the equator in the northern hemisphere, southeast trades: air returning toward the equator from the subtropical high in the. Southern hemisphere is deflected to its left to form these: westerlies: air moving poleward from the two subtropical highs acquires increased coriolis deflection and forms two belts of generally west-to-east flowing winds, known as the westerlies.
