What are global air currents?

Air in the atmosphere moves around the world in a pattern called global atmospheric circulation. When the air cools, it drops back to the ground, flows back towards the Equator, and warm again. The, now, warmed air rises again, and the pattern repeats. This pattern, known as convection, happens on a global scale.

What is the definition of global atmospheric circulation?

Global Atmospheric Circulation describes how air moves across the planet in a specific pattern. It is the way in which heat is redistributed around the globe.

What are the air currents called?

wind
Air Currents Moving air is called wind. Air currents are winds that move in a riverlike flow in a certain direction.

What are Hadley and Ferrel cells?

These gigantic cells with overturning air in each of the hemispheres in low latitudes are known as the Hadley cells. In the mid-latitudes, oppositely rotating wind systems called Ferrel cells carry surface air poleward and upper tropospheric air toward the Hadley cells.

What are the major air currents?

The Earth contains five major wind zones: polar easterlies, westerlies, horse latitudes, trade winds, and the doldrums. Polar easterlies are dry, cold prevailing winds that blow from the east. They emanate from the polar highs, areas of high pressure around the North and South Poles.

How do air currents affect climate?

The dominant air currents that affect climate are known as prevailing winds. For example, warm winds that travel over water tend to collect moisture as they travel; the water vapor in the air will condense as it moves into colder climates, which is why temperate coastal areas often receive heavy rainfall.

What are effects of global air circulation?

Global atmospheric circulation creates winds across the planet as air moves from areas of high pressure to areas of low pressure. It also leads to areas of high rainfall, like the tropical rainforests, and areas of dry air, like deserts.

How does global air circulation affect climate?

The combination of oceanic and atmospheric circulation drives global climate by redistributing heat and moisture. Areas located near the tropics remain warm and relatively wet throughout the year. In temperate regions, variation in solar input drives seasonal changes.

Are there air currents?

In meteorology, air currents are concentrated areas of winds. They are mainly due to differences in atmospheric pressure or temperature. They are divided into horizontal and vertical currents; both are present at mesoscale while horizontal ones dominate at synoptic scale.

What causes Hadley cells?

The Hadley circulation, or Hadley cell—a worldwide tropical atmospheric circulation pattern that occurs due to uneven solar heating at different latitudes surrounding the equator—causes air around the equator to rise to about 10-15 kilometers, flow poleward (toward the North Pole above the equator, the South Pole below …

Why is it called the Hadley cell?

The Hadley cell, named after George Hadley, is a global-scale tropical atmospheric circulation that features air rising near the Equator, flowing poleward at a height of 10 to 15 kilometers above the earth’s surface, descending in the subtropics, and then returning equatorward near the surface.

What are the three causes of surface currents?

Surface currents are controlled by three factors: global winds, the Coriolis effect, and continental deflections. surface create surface currents in the ocean. Different winds cause currents to flow in different directions. objects from a straight path due to the Earth’s rotation.

The currents are: 1. North Equatorial Current 2. South Equatorial Current 3. Counter-Equatorial Current 4. Gulf Stream 5. Canary Current 6. Labrador Current 7. Brazil Current 8. Falkland Current 9. South Atlantic Drift 10. Benguela Current.

What causes global circulation?

The global circulation of air is caused by two factors: The unequal heating of Earth’s surface causes the Earth to warm more near the equator than the poles. The coriolis affect causes air to curve to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and to the left in the southern hemisphere .

What is the cause of air currents?

An air current is a mass of moving air. They are caused by a number of conditions, but especially differences in pressure and temperature. Air currents both shape and are influenced by the Earth’s climate and weather and are experienced as wind, both on the surface of the Earth and when aloft, by aircraft and flying animals.

What are air currents caused by temperature differences?

Temperature differences can cause air currents because warmer air is less dense than cooler air, causing the warmer air to appear “lighter.”. Thus, if the warm air is under the cool air, air currents will form as they exchange places. Air currents are caused because of the uneven heating of Earth’s surface.