Climate and Atmosphere
Composition
of
atmosphere
Vertical structure of atmosphere
What drives atmospheric motions?
Earth-Sun relationship
Transport by atmospheric motion and ocean currents
Net transport by atmosphere and ocean
Ocean currents
Atmospheric motions
Global circulation
Single-cell Model
Thermally driven circulation (direct circulation)
ITCZ: Intertropical Convergence Zone
Coriolis Force
../Animations/Coriolisppt.html
Coriolis Deflection Depends on Latitude
Z
Z
North Pole
ITCZ
North 30 degree
General circulations of the atmosphere
Ferrel cell:
indirect cell
Polar cell: direct cell
Global Atmospheric Circulation Model
../Animations/GlobalWindsV1ppt.html
Atmospheric Pressure
Force and Winds Horizontal pressure
gradient force
Winds should blow
from high to low
pressure. But they
are not. Why?
Geostrophic Balance
High pressure
Low pressure
Coriolis force
Pressure gradient force
Geostrophic Wind
Curved flow and Gradient Wind
L PcentFcoriF
V
H
V
coriFP centF
Anti-clockwise (cyclonic) Clockwise (anti-cyclonic)
Hurricane
Northern hemisphere Southern hemisphere
Frictional force
1
gfV
gV
fF
V
fF
gfV