Oceanography

Climatology

Topics under Oceanography

Ocean bottom relief

Resources from continental shelf

petroleum

Sulphur

Resources from continental shelf

Placer deposit

Pearls, fish,
calcium

Continental margins
Continental slope

Continental rise

Abyssal plain
Poly-metallic
nodules

Indian exploration

Types of Islands
Continental
Islands

Volcanic islands

Types of Islands
Sand-bar islands

Coral Islands

Coral reef
formation
Symbiotic
relationship
between coral
polyps and
xooxanthalae

conditions
Sunlight depth 50
m
Temp 25-27 deg
Salinity 33
Calm, circulating
nutrient rich water
Not at mouth of
river

Coral reef
Coral bleaching

Coral polyps expel

xooxanthalae under
stress condition

Reasons for
bleaching
Global warming
Ozone depletion
Ocean acidification
Sedimentation
Marine pollution
diseases

Formation of coral reef

Fringing reef
barrier reefatoll
Subsidence
theory of
Darwin
Standstill
theory of
Murray

Motion of Ocean water

Horizontal motion of ocean water

waves

Ocean currents

Tides
tides

Spring-neap tide

Up-welling and down-welling

Upwelling

Down-welling

Temperature of Ocean

Main energy source - Insolation

Oceans play important role in energy
and temperature regulation on earth,
due to specific heat of the water
Average temperature of ocean = 3-5
degree Celsius
But average surface temperature of
ocean water = 25 degree

Temperature Pattern of the Ocean

Latitudinal variation
It decreases from
equator to poles
But highest
temperature is not at
the equator but at the
tropics
Reason: high rainfall,
cloud cover (high
albedo/ reflection of
sunrays)

Temperature pattern of the Oceans

Hemispheric
variation
Northern
hemisphere
warmer than
southern
Reason: large
land mass in
northern
hemisphere high
energy

Temperature pattern of the Oceans

Enclosed seas
Marginal seas of
tropics warmer than
open Ocean +
marginal seas of
temperate region
cooler than open
seas
Reason: less mixing
of water

Temperature pattern of the Oceans

Ocean
currents
Warm ocean
current
warming
effect
Cold ocean
current
cooling effect

Temperature pattern of the Oceans

Up-welling and dowwelling
Upwelling bring cool
water from depth
lower down the
surface temp

Temperature pattern of the Oceans

Down-welling
piling up of
warm water
increase the
temp

Diurnal range of temperature

Max temp of day
and min temp of
night time
Tropical water
higher diurnal
range than
equatorial waters
Because, Heating
and cooling of
water rapid under
clear sky

Annual range of temperature

Bigger the size of
ocean- better
mixing of water
and heat
Lower annual
range
Pacific ocean
lower annual
range than
Atlantic Ocean

Question

Q. Consider the following

statements:
UPSC
1) Annual range of temperature
is greater in Pacific ocean
Prelims
than in Atlantic ocean
2007
2) Annual range of temperature
is greater in northern
hemisphere that in southern
hemisphere

Which of the statement is

correct?
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) Neither 1 or 2
Ans. B)
Pacific Ocean better mixing

Question
UPSC
Prelims
2007

Vertical distribution of temperature

1st layer upto 500m
(20-25 deg C)
2nd layer
thermocline 5001000m
3th layer cold layer
beyond 1000m

Vertical distribution of temperature

Temp decreases with
increasing depth
rate of decrement is
rapid at equator
tropics than towards
poles
1st layer permanent
in Tropics temperate
only in summer

Salinity of Ocean water

Amount of salt found in 1000 gm of

water
Nacl (78%), MgCl2 (11%), MgSO4
(3.5%), CaSO4 (2.5%)
Na and Cl has high residual time in
ocean water very gradual removal
thats why, they remain in the highest
proportion

Salt Budget

Irrespective of absolute salinity of the

water, the proportion of the salt remain
same in all parts of the oceans
Amount of addition or extraction of
fresh water compared to salt content in
the Ocean water decides absolute
salinity of the Oceans.

Sources of salts in ocean water

Sediments carried by rivers

Submarine volcanism at MOR
Chemical reaction between rocks of
geothermal vent of volcano and cold
water
Erosion of oceanic rocks

Removal of Salts in Ocean water

Physical removal waves break at the

beaches, salt-spray
Biological removal marine life forms
extract calcium from sea water for
their bones

Variation in salinity

Addition of fresh water => Rainfall,

inflow of large river, melting of glacier
=> less salinity
Reduction of fresh water => increase
in temperature, high evaporation,
windy (wind accelerate the
evaporation)

Salinity of the oceans

Standard salinity of ocean water is =

35.5 ppt salinity of Atlantic Ocean
Dead Sea (350 salinity), Lake van
(400), Lake Urmia
Man seldom drowned in sea with high
salinity
Because, high salinity = high density

Pattern in variation
of salinity
Salinity
goes
decrease from
equator to poles
But highest
salinity is not at
the equator =
because high
rainfall, cloud
cover
Highest salinity is
at tropics

Pattern in variation of salinity

Northern hemisphere
warmer high
evaporation saline
But in southern
Pacific- roaring 40,
furious 50 and
shrinking 60
screaming 70 very
fast winds
High evaporation =>
high salinity

Local Variations in Salinity

1st - Ocean
currents
warm ocean
current like, high
evaporation
Cold current led
to Up-welling:
cooler water
from depth come
at the surface

Local Variations in Salinity

2nd - Enclosed seas
low latitude - warmer
than open sea- high
salinity
Ex. Mediterranean Sea,
Red sea
high latitude- cooler
than open sea low
salinity
Ex. Baltic Sea

Local Variations in Salinity

3th inflow of large
rivers
Ganga
Brahmaputra flow
into Bay of Bengal
Bay of Bengal less
saline than Arabian
sea

Rivers inflow to the seas

Mississippi in G.of
Mexico

Amu darya, Syr

darya to Aral sea

Rivers inflow to the seas

Black sea

Persian gulf

Local Variations in Salinity

4th glaciers
Baltic sea receive
fresh water from
melting of glaciers
low salinity

Vertical pattern of salinity

Salinity decreases with increasing

depth
Temp of water decreases
Density of water increases
Salinity increases density water sinks
Saline water freeze slowly compared
to pure water

Vertical pattern of salinity

Equator salinity increases with depth

upto some layer than decreases with
depth
Beyond equator salinity decreases
with depth
Vertical salinity variation of oceans is
complicated
No uniform layering

Temperature of ocean water

variations
Salinity of ocean water
Salt budget
variations

Climatology

 Early atmosphere
Origin of the Atmosphere
on Earth
has H and He in
abundance -lighter
gases escaped
During early life of
the earth
extensive
volcanismdegassing. N, S,
Water Vapour, Argon
and CO2 came out

 Water
Origin of the Atmosphere
onvapour
Earth

condensed
clouds rainfall
washed out bulk of
the CO2 into
Oceans. Co2 =
0.03%
Oxygen from
anaerobic
respiration of
bacteria like,
Cynobacteria

Proportion of gases
Gas

Proportio
n

Nitrogen
Oxygen
Argon
Carbon
dioxide
Neon
Helium

78%
21%
0.93%
0.03%
0.0018%
0.00005
%

Proportion of gases

N, O, H and Argon are permanent

gases
Water vapour, Co2, ozone -> variable
gases, GHG
N, Argon inert gases
Atmospheric gases- no chemical
interaction among them
They dont lose their properties

Structure of atmosphere

Troposphere
90% of
atmosphere within
32 km
Tropopause =
Height 8 km at
poles, 18 km at
equator
At equator
cumulonimbus
clouds

Greenhouse effect Temperature

in troposphere

decrease as height
increases
Transparent to
insolation
(shortwave)
Heated by terrestrial
radiation (longwave)
GHGs absorbs long
wave terrestrial
radiation

Q. normally, the temperature

decreases with increase in height
from the earths surface, because,
1. Atmosphere can be heated
upward only from earths surface
2. There is more moisture in upper
atmosphere
3. The air is less dense in upper
atmosphere

Question
UPSC
Prelims
2012

a)
b)
c)
d)

1 only
2 and 3
1 and 3
1,2 and 3

Ans. C)
Less dense = less amount of
GHGs = low temp

Question
UPSC
Prelims
2012

stratosphere
Temperature
increases with
height
Because of the
presence of
ozone layer
Ozone absorbs
UV rays from
isolation

Q. The jet aircrafts fly very easily

and smoothly in lower
stratosphere. Why?
1. There are no clouds or water
vapour in lower stratosphere
2. There are no vertical winds in
lower stratosphere
Ans. 1 in wrong, 2 is correct

Question
UPSC
Prelims
2011

Mesosphere
Absence of GHGs
Temperature
decreases with
height

Noctilucent clouds
Mesospheric
clouds
Clouds visible at
high latitudes
During summer
season
Condensation of
mixture of
meteoric dust
and some
moisture

Thermosphere
Temperature
increase with height
Gases in ionic state
trap insolation
extremely hot
But ions are highly
dispersed
Up to 800 km from
earth


From
80km
to
Ionosphere
640 km
Number of ionic
layers
Useful in radiocommunication

Ionosphere
High energy sunrays
and cosmic rays
break the atoms of air
molecules become
ionised (+ve charged)
Behave as free
particles
At night time, only
cosmic rays ionization
-weak

Layers of Ionosphere
layer height
s

Freque
ncy

Presenc
e

formatio
n

60-90km LF

Day-time

Solar
radiation

99130km

MF, HF

Day-time

UV with N
molecule

150380km

MF, HF

Day
&night

>400km MF, HF

Day &
night

Q. A layer in Earths atmosphere

called ionosphere facilitates radio
communication. Why?
1. Presence of ozone cause
reflection of radio waves to earth
2. Radio waves has long
wavelength
Both statements are wrong

Question
UPSC
Prelims
2011

Exosphere
Beyond 640 km
Highly rarified
atmosphere
Very high
temperature- but
different from air
temperaturebecause no
existence of airtemp cant be felt

Aurora
Glowing lights
at mid-nights at
high latitudes
At height of
exosphere and
magnetosphere

Aurora
sun emit solar
wind/storm from its
corona
Solar wind consist of
plasma (free
electrons and +ve
ions)
Interaction of solar
wind with earths
magnetosphere
-disturbance

Auroras
Collision of charged
particles (isonization)
in magnetosphere
Ionised particles emit
light release energy
charged particles
interact with
geomagnetic field lines
Thus, visible on high
latitudes

Heat budget
The average
temperature of the
earth 15 degree
Earth maintains influx
and out-flux of the
energy, but out-flux is
not immediate, it has
long time gap. That is
why, the temperature
is maintained.

Heat budget - Incoming

First 35%
absorbed by
Ozone layer
Then 15% by
cloud cover
Only 50%
energy
reached to the
earth surface

Heat budget - outgoing

20% is lost in latent
heat of evaporation
10% lost in sensible
heat (temperature
of the body)
15% absorbed by
GHGs
Remaining 5% was
released in the
space

Albedo

Ratio between the

total solar radiation
falling upon a
surface and the
amount reflected
Represents as %
Earths avg. Albedo
= 35%
Lowest- dark soil
highest - snowfall

Albedo - table

surface
Fresh snow
Desert
Grasses
Crops
Brick concrete

Albedo
80%-90%
35-45%
26%
15%
10-20%

Q. Which one of the following

reflect back more sunlight as
compared to other three?
a) sandy desert
b) Paddy crops
c) Land covered with fresh snow
d) Prairie land
Ans. C)

Question
UPSC
Prelims
2010

Movement of air
Horizontal

vertical

when there is
pressure gradient
from high pressure
to low pressure =>
advection

when air get warm,

gets expands,
becomes lighter =>
move upwards =>
convection

Vertical movement of air - instability

When air gets hotter
than surrounding air,
it rises upward
If it has moisture latent heat of
condensation more
heated will go up form clouds -can
bring rainfall =
instability

Vertical movement of air - stability

When air is cooler

than surrounding it
cannot move
upward
sinking air
atmospheric
stability or anticyclonic condition
High pressure on
ground

Low pressure High pressure

Adiabatic lapse rate

The rate at which air
packet cools while
rising
Avg adiabatic lapse
rate is 6.4 degree/km
That is air packet
gets cool by 6.4
degree after covering
one km upward

Wet adiabatic lapse rate

if air packet has high
moisture content- not
get cool so fast.
Its adiabatic lapse rate
<6.4 degree/km ~ 4
degree/km => WALR
Wet air can reach
higher distances with
low lapse rate =>
create instability

Dry Adiabatic Lapse rate

If air packet is dry, it

does not have much
moisture, it will get
cool very fast. More
than 6.4 degree/km
like, 10
degree/km.
Dry air create stable
condition

Conditions of stability and Instability

situation
Conditional
stability
Absolute
stability

condition
when wet ALR<
normal ALR < dry
ALR
when normal ALR<
wet ALR < Dry ALR

Absolute

when wet ALR<

 Normally, with
Temperature Inversion
increasing
height
temperature of
air decreasing,
but reverse is
happened than
it is called
temperature
inversion

Ex. Of temperature Inversion

1st
At Tropopause
temperature
starts
increasing from
here
So air packet
reach till here,
start moving
downwards

Ex. Of temperature Inversion

2nd
A cool winter night,
the air above the
cold surface gets
cool.
But the air layer
above that cool
layer is till warmer.
Then, by going
upward, air does not

Ex. Of temperature Inversion

3th
Valley inversion
winter cool air
descends to
valley
Uplift the warm
air of valley
Descending cool
air- damage

Implications of temperature inversion

Formation of
fog

Warm air cooled by

cold air below
condensation tiny
water droplets- low
visibility
Formation of frost Water moisture frozen
with contact cold
surface- damage to
crops
Atmospheric
Prevents upward or

Q. What do you understand by

phenomenon of temperature
inversion in meteorology? How
does it affect weather and
habitants of the place? (5)

Question
UPSC
mains
2013

Condensation of water droplets

Condensation of
water droplet
At heights
At lower level
on the cold surface
Turn into ice crystal in
extreme cold conditions

Result
Clouds
Fog
Dew drop
Frost

Reason for formation of fog

Advecti
on
Radiatio
n

Ocean

Moving of warm air

over cold
Winter nights loss of
heat due to terrestial
radiation cold surface.
Moving of warm air over
cold surface
Meeting of cold and

Decreasing level of visibility

comparison
fog
Water droplet
condensed around a
dust particle
It reduces the
visibility, damage
the crops

smog
Water droplet
condensed around a
particle of pollutant,
like SO2
Reduce visibility +
health hazard

comparison
Smog
It occurs in cool
humid climate
It is a mixture of
smoke, fog and
sulphur dioxide
(SO2).

Photochemical
smog
It occurs in warm, dry and
sunny climate
Mixture unsaturated
hydrocarbons and nitrogen
oxides (NO2) in presence
of sunlight
Its components are ozone,
nitric oxide, acrolein, and
formaldehyde and
peroxyacetyl nitrate (PAN).

Q. Photochemical smog is resultant

of reaction among
a) NO2, O3 and peroxyacetyl nitrate
in the presence of sunlight
b) CO2, O2 and peroxyacetyl nitrate
in the presence of sunlight
c) CO,CO2 and NO2 at low
temperature
d) High concentration of NO2, O3
and CO in the evening

Question
UPSC
Prelims
2013

Photochemical smog:
NO2, Ozone + sunlight
Ans. A)

Question
UPSC
Prelims
2013

Structure of atmosphere
Vertical Movement of air
Adiabatic lapse rate
Temperature inversion and its
effects
fog

precipitation

Evaporation
1) High temperature
2) LP conditions
3) Fast moving wind
Water vapour
evaporate from the
water body
Evaporation adds
moisture in the air

Humidity
Absolute Humidity

Weight of water
vapour in unit
volume of moist air

Specific Humidity

Weight of water
vapour per unit
weight of dry air

Precipitation

Precipitation
Precipitation when air
depends upon
is saturated with water
temperature and
vapour and any extra
moisture content of
addition result in
precipitation
the air
Relative Humidity:
Hot air saturation
Amount of water vapour
reach with more
present in air to
moisture content
amount of water vapour
than cold air
required for saturation

Types of clouds

Types of rainfall
Convectional
rainfall

Orographic rainfall

Types of rainfall
Cyclonic rainfall

Frontal rainfall

Pressure system of the world

Entire earth is divided into 4 large pressure
belts
In reality, belts are not continuous but pockets
of low and high pressure.
But pressure can be created through thermal
or dynamic reasons
Thermal: high temperature=> LP, low
temperature => HP
Dynamic: air rises => LP, air descends => HP

Pressure system of the world

4 belts:
equatorial low
pressure belt
sub-tropical high
pressure belt
sub-polar low
pressure belt
Polar High
pressure area

Equatorial LP belt
Constant insolation
Air gets warm -LP
Air move upward ->
cloud formation ->
instability -> rain in
the evening daily
Cumulonimbus
clouds
Convectional rainfall

Equatorial LP belt
Absence of
advection of air
Belt of calm /
Doldrum
Because light,
feeble winds - calm
region

Sub-tropical HP belt (STHP)

The air above equator
move towards pole, but
coriolis force - their
path get deflected.
The length of path
increases. Their energy
reduced in mid-path
-cooled. air subside
near 30-40 deg latitude.

Sub-tropical HP belt (STHP)

As descending air
HP
Dynamically
induced HP
Called horse
latitude

Sub-polar LP belt (SPLP)

From the pole, cold
winds move towards
equator
The both warm and
cold winds collide, the
warmer winds from
STHP rise above the
cold polar winds
This rising of warmer
wind near 50-60
degree create LP

Polar high
Air risen at
SPLP, descends
at poles
High pressure
conditions
Thermally
induced

Wind system of the world

Planetary winds
winds blowing at the
same direction
throughout the year
cover large distances.
Horizontal movement,
Pressure belt system
provide them the
pressure gradient
Corilis force modify
their direction

Trade winds
The winds move
towards equatorial
low pressure = ITCZ
ITCZ inter tropical
convergence zone,
where wind
converges
Their direction is
east to west due to
coriolis force

Tropical deserts and trade winds

Tropical easterlies
flows east to west
Wind becomes dry
when they reaches
the western coast
of the continents
Off shore trade
winds
Trade wind deserts

Tropical desert and cold currents

2nd
Cold currents
provide desiccating
effect to trade
wind deserts
Cold current flow
on western
margins of
continents

Q. Major hot deserts in northern

hemisphere are located
between 20-30 degree North
latitudes and on the western
side of the continents. Why?
(10)

Question
UPSC
Mains
2013

Westerlies

From west to east

From STHP to SPLP

Westerlies
From west to east
From STHP to SPLP
Less landmass in
southern
hemisphere
Fast flowing winds
in the open sea
Roaring 40s, furious
50s, shrinking 60s
and screaming 70s

Q. Westerlies in southern hemisphere

are stronger and persistent than
northern hemisphere. Why?
1. Southern hemisphere has less
landmass as compared to
northern hemisphere
2. Coriolis force is higher in southern
hemisphere as compared to
northern hemisphere
Ans. 1 is correct, 2 is wrong

Question
UPSC
Prelims
2011

Polar Easterlies
From east to
west
From poles to
SPLP

Apparent movement of the sun

Summer

Winter

movement of the pressure system

Summer

Winter

Wind system of the world

Seasonal winds
Monsoon winds:
seasonal reversal of
winds
Feature of tropical
latitude
In winter trade wind
blows north to south,
in summer trade
wind blows south to
north [but in limited
area]

Monson winds
Due to apparent
northward movement of
the sun in summer. Thus,
the ITCZ (LP) also moves
upward
Thus, the area which was
under northern trade
winds in winter, will
come under southern
trade winds in the
summer

Wind system of the world

Local winds : mountains winds

Cold wind

Warm winds

countr wind
y
Greece Gragal
e
Italy
Tremon
ta

Mountai Wind
ns
Alps
Fohn
Rockies Chino
ok
Andes
Zonda

Local winds : land

Cold wind: land
HP condition in
winter
Divergence of cold
air
Siberia Buran
Canada - Blizzard

Warm wind: desert

desert
Sahara
Egypt
Libya
Gulf of
Guinea

Winds
Sirocco
Khamsin
Gibli
Harmatt
an

Local winds: India

summer

Hot-dusty wind =
loo

Pre-monsoon
thunderstorm
states
Wind
Bihar,
Kalbaisha
WB,
khi
Assam
KN
Blossom
shower
KR
Mango
shower

Wind system of the world

Mountain breeze
During night time:
top gets cooler than
valley = HP, valley
=LP
Wind move hill-top
to valley =>
mountain breeze
Agriculture frost
bite, chill in
habitation in the
valley

Valley breeze

During day
time: top gets
warmer than
valley = LP,
valley = HP
So wind
moves from
valley to the
top => valley
breeze

Wind system of the world

Land breezes
Differential cooling of
land and water
During night:
land cooler =HP,
water =LP
Wind move land to
water => land breeze

Sea-breeze
During day time:
land gets warmer
=>LP , water =HP
Wind move from
water to land =>
sea breeze

Pressure belts of the world

Planetary wind system
Variable winds
Seasonal, local winds
Mountain- valley breeze
Land-sea breeze

Upper tropospheric winds

Around tropopause,
there is only one
gradient
Wind accumulated
above equator and
rarified atmosphere
above poles
HP at the equator
and LP at the poles

Geo-strophic winds
strong coriolis force at
tropopause
Because friction is
less - high speed stronger the coriolis
force
So the deflection is 90
degree
Such winds called
geo-strophic winds

Westerlies winds
The upper
tropospheric
winds / geostrophic
winds blow
from west to
east at the
very high
speed

Rossby waves
Westerlies at poles
to maintain the
angular momentumthey meander =>
Rossby waves
Rossby waves do not
meander
consistently, but
follow a cycle =
Index cycle

Jet streams
In westerlies, there
are strong, narrow
bands of high
speed wind => Jet
stream
Speed of Jet stream
300kmph

Jet streams location

There are
situated at the
margins of
meridional cells
4 permanent Jet
streams: 2 Polar
Jet and 2 SubTropical Westerly
Jet STWJ

Jet streams
Permanent jet
stream

Temporary jet
stream

Jet streams Jet stream

embedded in
westerlies
(Rossby waves)
at high latitude,
cause pressure
variability
Thats why they
are called
travelling
depression

Jet Stream travelling depressions

Weather of Mid and high latitude

Weather of higher latitude is more complex than
weather of equatorial or tropical regions
Because tropical and equatorial region are heat
surplus region thermal reasons play the dominant
role.
But higher latitude are heat deficit region
dynamic reasons play dominant role
These include localised + upper-tropospheric
circulations (Rossby waves, Jet streams, temperate
cyclones)

Air mass
Large extensive body of
air-mass (1000sqkm)
Height upto Tropopause
At particular height, one
air mass will have
uniform temperature and
moisture across its width
Airmasses can be
differentiate according to
their temperature and
moisture content

Air mass
Air mass acquired
properties from the
source regions land,
marine, polar, arctic,
Antarctic = give them
identity. Ex. mP, cT
Extensive
homogeneous surface
+ longer stay (HP)

Air masses
Air masses do not
stay at their source
regions forever,
they move out.
While moving they
came across other
air masses.

Front
The relative
difference between
temperature and
moisture decide
their interaction with
one another
The border/ meeting
region of the two airmass => Front

Cold front
If cold air mass move
faster than the other
than it will lift the
warmer one upward
=> cold front
the slope will be steep
= there will be sudden
up-liftment of the
warm air =
cumulonimbus clouds
=frontal rainfall

Warm front
If warmer air mass
is more active than
cold front =>
warm front
slope will be
gentler = there
wont be sudden
up-liftment of
warm air = uniform
prolonged rain
drizzle

Fronts

Frontal cyclone
Also called as
extra-tropical
cyclone,
travelling
depressions,
cold-core
cyclone, wave
cyclones

Meaning of cyclone
1) Intense LP system
2)Air converges
towards the centre
3)Closed isobars
4)In Northern
hemisphere
convergence
anti-clockwise

Isobar
Normal isobar

Closed isobar

Conditions for LP
Thermally induced
Because of high
temperature
Ex. LP at equator
Convectional
rainfall at equator

Dynamically
induced
Upliftment of warm
air
Ex. LP at sub-polar
LP belt
Frontal rainfall

Development of Frontal cyclone

Movement of
airmasses from their
source region
The warm and cold air
mass face each other
A front is created
between them
Called Stationary front

Formative stage of frontal cyclone

Location of air
masses

Circular movement

Development of Frontal cyclone

Cold air mass pushed
the warm air mass
Forced upliftment of
warm air mass at the
cold front =LP
Two cold air mass
convergence
circular due to
coriolis force

Mature stage
Interaction of air
masses

LP closed isobars

Occluded front
One cold air mass
climb over other cold
air masswarm front is
destroyed
Called occluded front
Rapid change in
temperature and
pressure
Unstable weather
conditions

Dissipation of frontal Frontolysis

cyclone
no great
temperature
difference
between two
cold air
masses front
dissipated LP
reduced
cyclone
dissipated

Stationary front

Front

Occluded front

Frontolysis

Path of the temperate cyclone

Always west to east
direction
Because influence of
the wetserlies
Gradual movementPredictable weather

Distribution of temperate cyclones

Tropical cyclone
Hurricane N. America
Typhoon - China
Late summer
Increased sea surface
temperature = LP
Convergence of air
around LP zone
Rising moist (wet) air
=> absolute instability

Tropical cyclone

Cloud formation
=more and more
moisture latent
heat of evaporation
=> cumulo nimbus
cloud => cyclone
Coriolis force induce
spiral movement of
air

Mature Tropical cyclone

Intensification of
LP
Converging air
near water
surface
Circulating air
rises above
(coriolis force)
Diverging air at
the top of cyclone

Eye of the tropical cyclone

At the centre of the
cyclone eye of the
tropical cyclone.
It is a pressure defect.
Because, at eye a
narrow stream of wind
descend = is HP at eye
At the eye, there is clear
sky.
Beyond eye wall
extreme low pressure

Properties of tropical cyclones

Move swiftly
It is fuelled by
moisture so
when cyclone is
cut-off from sea
and move towards
land it starts
weakening

Distribution of tropical cyclone

comparison
30-40 degree
Temperate cyclone
latitude
Dynamically
induced
Due to frontal
interaction
Formed over large
area
Move west to east
Gradual movement

Tropical cyclone
8-20 degree latitude
Thermally induced
Due to increasing
SST
Small area
Move east to west
Swift movementdifficult to predict
path

comparison
Temperate cyclone
Wind speed 40-50
kmph
Pressure gradient
980 mb
Powerful on land
Affect mainland
More time to
dissipate

Tropical
cyclone
Wind
speed
>120
kmph
Pressure gradient
<880 mb
Weakens on land
Affect only coastal
areas
Quickly dissipate
after coming on

Q. Tropical cyclones are largely

confined to South China Sea,
Bay of Bengal and Gulf of
Mexico. Why? (10)

Question
UPSC
Mains
2014

Reason for location of Tropical cyclone

1) Tropical water
2) Warm ocean
currents
3) Increase SST in
late summer
4) Tropical
cyclone move
east to west
5) Landmass on
western coast