Hadley cell Warm air rises at the equator: Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone.

The rising warm air carries a lot of moisture which cools, resulting in tall tower of cumulo-nimbus clouds and heavy precipitation. Equatorial air flows to 30N then sinks to the surface (HP) and returns as a surface wind to the equator. Some of this wind heads to the other LP point northwards. Ferrel cell At 30 N some of the air heads towards the North Pole as wind. This wind is usually known as mid-latitude westerlies, which is warm and moist. At 60 N the warm mid-latitude westerlies meets the cold air from the polar cell. The warm air rises over the cold air and travels higher into the atmosphere. Here the air cools down and spread out. The air which spread out back south towards the equator completes this Ferrel cell circulation. Polar cell At the North Pole (90N) the air is very cold and dense it sinks down creating a HP. It then flows southwards towards 60N and is warmed by the land and ocean it rises up into the atmosphere to completes its circulation. Heat transfer Heat energy is transferred from the Hadley Cell to the Ferrel Cell and from the Ferrel Cell to the Polar Cell. In this way heat is transferred from the Equator where there is an energy surplus to the Poles where there is an energy deficit. Basic Principle 1. Hot air rises low pressure. 2. Cold air sinks high pressure. 3. Air moves from high to low pressure. Air is deflected by the spinning of the Earth Coriolis effect. Coriolis effect occurs because the Earth rotates. Earth rotates about its axis every 24 hours. Distance around the equator is ~25,000 miles (40 233.6 km) the earth is travelling east at ~ 1,041 miles per hour. (1675km) Distance around the Earth at 40N ~19,000 miles the earth is travelling east at ~800mph. The Coriolis effect results from this difference in velocity. WIND BELTS Northern Hemisphere Polar Easterlies Blowing from the Polar High Pressure zone to about 60N Westerlies Blowing from Sub-Tropical High Pressure zone to about 60N Northeast Trade Winds Blowing from Sub-Tropical High Pressure zone to Equatorial Low Pressure zone. Southern Hemisphere Southeast Trade Winds Blowing from Sub-Tropical High Pressure zone to Equatorial Low Pressure zone. Westerlies Blowing from Sub-Tropical High Pressure zone to about 60S

Polar Easterlies Blowing from the Polar High Pressure zone to about 60S Series of High and Low pressure centres approx. every ? latitude ? pressure zones associated with descending air ( ? ) Low pressure zones associated with ? air (convergence) ? circulation cells in each hemisphere: ? ? direct ? thermally indirect Polar Cell thermally direct Wind is the horizontal movement of air arising from differences in ? . Very little wind at the Equator ( ? ) because air is being convected ? . Little wind at 30N and S (Horse Latitudes) because direction of air movement is down. Winds always blow from an area of ? Pressure to ? Pressure. Winds are affected by the ? Effect. Coriolis is a consequence of motion on a rotating sphere. Acts to the ? of direction of motion in Northern Hemisphere Acts to the ? of direction of motion in the Southern Hemisphere Major wind belts of the Earth surface 0 to 30N ? ? ? Southeast Trades 30 to 60N/S ? 60 to 90N/S Polar ?

Near the equator, from about 5 north and 5 south. the northeast trade winds and southeast trade winds converge in a low pressure zone known as the ITCZ. ITCZ is formed by the vertical ascent (rise) of warm moist air from the latitudes north and south of the equator. The air is drawn into the inter-tropical convergence zone by the action of the Hadley cell.