Lecture 4 part 2: Atmosphere

Lecture 4 part 2: Atmosphere

1. The atmosphere basics

   • all wind flows from hight pressure to low pressure

2. High and low pressure belts

   • poles are high pressure

3. Vertical Movement of air

   • Warm air rises, cold air falls
     • LEads to the 6 Circulation cells
       • warm air rises in low pressure zones
       • high pressure zones = less precipitation and colder air falling

4. Coreolis effect

   • Winds in northern hemisphere are delflected to the right(clockwise)
   • Winds ins the southern Hemispher are deflected to the left(counterclockwise
     • Cyclones turn to the left is why they are called cyclones
   • Coreolis effect why ?
     • conservation of angular momentum
     • Also the equater is spinning faster than near the poles are spinning

5. Connection between atmospheric circulation and Antarctica

   • Antarctic circumpolar current = the largest surface current
     • Surface currents are driven primaily by winds
     • It is the largest because their is no land blocking the current: The drake passage
   • Front:where convergent waters meet
     • The ACC antarctic circumpolar current acts a front" separating the warm waters of the north
       • This series of fronts between tripical waters and ANT. waters is called the Polar Front

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