What are meant by the horse latitudes and the doldrums?
What are meant by the horse latitudes and the doldrums?
HORSE LATIUDE:
It (the latitudes between N and N) is a belt of calms and is frequently known as 'Horse Latitudes'. One explanation is given for the name. In the days of sailing ships, the trading ships which used to carry horses from Europe to North America had to face problems due to absence to backing winds. So some horses were thrown down into the sea to make their ships lighter and to move faster in order to avoid an unduly prolonged journey and problems of food and drinking water.
THE DOLDRUMS:
The Equatorial belt of low pressure extends from the equator to North and South latitudes. Low pressure prevails here due to : (i) Vertical rays of the sun cause intense heating, causing air to expand and rise up as convection current;
(ii) Presence of vast expanse of water mass causes
air to pick up water vapor, thus lighter air rises creating low pressure ; (iii) The deflection of rising air to the north and south of the equator as a result of rotation. Horizontal movement of air or wind is absent in this belt. So, this region remains as a region of calm, better known as 'Doldrums'.
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