Notice Anything

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Notice Anything???
WHY???
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Worldwide Wind Currents
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Worldwide Wind Currents

• 3 factors
• Cool air traveling from N S to equator
• Closed air currents
• The earths rotation

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PART ONE

• Cool air traveling from the north and south to
  the equator

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Earths Temperatures

• Where is the earths surface warmest, relatively?
• Where is the earths surface the coolest?

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• Cool air travels from polar regions ? equator.

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Part II

• Closed air currents

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When cool air arrives at the equator, what do you
think happens?
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• Warm air less dense, moves upwards.
• Cool air moves in to take its place
• This air will cycle, creating currents.

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Air currents
Dont draw this yet!
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• Because the earth is so big, it actually produces
  3 closed currents in the north, and 3 closed
  currents in the south.

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3 Closed Currents
OK, draw this now
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Part III

• The earths rotation

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• Earth rotates at about 300 m/s (1080km/h)
• Does the atmosphere rotate with the Earth?
• Does it stay still while the Earth moves under
  it?
• HOW DO YOU KNOW???

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• The atmosphere is moving with the earth.
• If it didnt, you would feel a constant wind of
  1080km/h on Earths surface.

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• Air in the atmosphere moves at same speed as
  Earth below it.
• Speed varies depending on the location on the
  Earths surface.

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Different points on Earth move at different speeds
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Coriolis Effect

• The Coriolis Effect is a term used to describe
  the influence the Earths rotation on air, or on
  any object moving on the Earths surface.

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• When convection moves air N or S, it also moves
  East (in the northern hemisphere).

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Animation

• http//www.physics.orst.edu/mcintyre/coriolis/Eas
  t_QT.html

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• In the northern hemisphere, the winds are called
  the prevailing westerlies
• (the wind comes from the west)

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Notice Anything???