global atmospheric circulation

• what is global atmospheric circulation?

  is the transfer of heat from the equator to the poles by movement of air
• what s solar energy?

  drives the earths atmospheric circulation
• what is the atmosphere?

  A mixture of gases that surrounds the Earth
• what does low pressure mean?

  is where warm air rises usually bringing wet, stormy weather.
• what does high pressure mean?

  is where air sinks giving dryer, calmer conditions
• what are the different types of cells?

  Hadley cell, ferrel cell, polar cell
• what is the Hadley cell?

  The cell that drives air around tropical regions
• what is the ferrel cell?


  The cell that moves air from 30 degrees to 60 degrees in the mid latitudes
• what is the polar cell?


  Weak circulation cell that occurs between 60 and 90 degrees latitude.
• what are trade winds?

  steady winds in tropical latitudes that blow toward the equator from the north and south
• what are the westerlies?

  winds that blow west to east between 30 and 60 degrees in the northern and southern hemispheres
• why do winds curve?


  because of the earths rotation - the Coriolis effect
• atmospheric circulation


  the movements off air around the earth due to pressure and temperature
• ferrell cell


  at around 60* either side of the equator, moist air rises and travels to lower laitudes at 30* where it sinks along with air travelling from the equator
• hadley cell


  at the equator, hot moist air rises, moves to higher latitudes (30) and sinks
• polar cell


  at 60* north or south of the equator, moist air rises and travels to the poles (90) where it sinks
• Why does low pressure occur at the

  equator?

  Air at the equator is heated by the sun, it

  becomes less dense and rise. This creates a

  global climate zone of low pressure. When the

  air has risen it begins to flow towards the north

  and south pole.