Chapter 7 Assignment METO copy
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Feb 20, 2024
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Circulation of the Atmosphere
1.
List four types of local winds.
Sea breeze, land breeze, mountain breeze, and valley breeze
2.
Describe the 3-cell model of global circulation.
As a system of winds that transports heat from tropical to polar latitudes, the global circulation can be described as the transportation of heat around the globe. The entire depth of the troposphere is surrounded by three cells (Hadley cell, Ferrel cell, and Polar cell) in each hemisphere.
3.
Describe the seasonal changes in global circulation that produce the Asian monsoon.
Asian monsoons consist of a dry, cold winter phase and a wet, warm summer phase. An atmospheric high-pressure system located in Siberia drives cold, dry winds out of the continent during winter. This flow is driven by a low-pressure system in northern India.
A significant amount of moisture is transported from the
Pacific Ocean and the South China Sea during the East Asian monsoon (EAM). The monsoon rainfall distribution is clearly influenced by a number of weather systems, including the Arctic Oscillation, the Siberian High, and the Western Pacific Subtropical High, as well as by the complex topography of Asia.
4.
Why does the airflow aloft in the middle latitudes have a strong west-to-east flow?
Air deflected by the Coriolis force in the Northern Hemisphere (toward the left in the Southern Hemisphere) flows in a predominant west-to-east direction in the Northern Hemisphere's middle latitudes.
5.
How does the jet stream affect midlatitude storms?
Mid-latitude cyclones are heavily influenced by the jet stream.
Air from the north is brought down to the southern regions of the United States by the jet stream.
This air mass is separated from the other by a front. An upper-level trough forms to the east of the low pressure system.
6.
Describe the events that lead to El Nino and La Nina. This year we are in a La Nina pattern.
El Nio and La Nia are initiated by periods of stronger or weaker easterly trade winds.
As a result of disrupting the atmospheric circulation in the planet's largest ocean basin, El Nio can produce "side effects" on the climate all over the world by shifting mid-latitude jet streams to a new location and increasing their strength. El Nio conditions occur when surface water in the equatorial Pacific becomes warmer than average and east winds weaken.
The opposite condition is called La Niña. When ENSO is in this phase, the water is cooler than normal and the east winds are stronger. El Niños typically occur every 3 to 5 years.
7.
What is the intertropical convergence zone?
The Intertropical Convergence Zone, or ITCZ, is the region that circles the Earth, near the equator, where the trade winds of the Northern and Southern Hemispheres come together.
8.
What are the long wavelength patterns in the jet stream called?
Planetary waves
, these long wavelength patters are also called Rossby waves
9.
What time of the year is the jet stream the fastest?
Both the northern and southern hemispheres have the strongest jet streams during winter since these hot and cold air boundaries are most prominent.
10.What is the primary driving force of surface-ocean currents?
Ocean surface currents are driven by global wind systems that are powered by solar energy.
Several factors influence surface current patterns, including the direction of the wind, the Coriolis force, and the position of landforms.
11.How do ocean currents affect climate?
Warm water from the equator is transported to the poles by ocean currents, and cold water from the poles is transported back to the tropics by ocean currents. By
regulating global climate, currents counteract the uneven distribution of solar radiation reaching Earth's surface.
12.How does a La Nina event affect hurricane season?
A La Nina event occurs when the Pacific cools enough to upset weather patterns above its surface. As a result of these changes, the Atlantic winds can become less shear, allowing tropical storms and hurricanes to become more powerful.
13.Are deserts dominated by high or low pressure?
The deserts are dominated by high pressure.
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