Coriolis Effect and Circulation

• Earth's surface is covered in fluids (air and water) separated by density.
• Dense, cold waters are at the bottom, while thin, light air masses are at the top.
• Circulation is the movement of air and water driven by various variables.

The Coriolis Effect

• The Coriolis Effect is the deflection of air due to Earth's rotation.
• As Earth rotates east, air is pulled along but slower than the planet.
• Air appears to move westward along the Equator, changing direction in different latitudes.
• The Coriolis effect also affects ocean surface currents, deflecting them similarly along the Equator and creating westward surface currents.

Rising and Sinking

• Air and water also move vertically due to temperature differences, with warm fluids rising and cool fluids sinking.
• Vertical and lateral air movement creates circulating air cells, resulting in consistent wind patterns.
• Fluid composition affects density: higher seawater salinity increases density.
• Thermohaline circulation is a system of currents driven by temperature ("thermo") and salinity ("haline") changes causing vertical water movement.
• At the Equator, surface water evaporation increases salinity, altering water density.
• Warm currents moving towards the poles cool and sink, releasing latent heat and impacting the climate of nearby land masses.
• Great Britain's temperate climate is due to the warm Gulf Stream current, which cools and sinks in the North Atlantic, releasing latent heat.
• Changes in thermohaline circulation have historically caused rapid and extreme climate changes.

Land

• Land masses (continents) deflect surface currents.
• Land reflects heat differently than water absorbs heat.
• Air masses rise and sink with temperature changes caused by land or water.
• Glider pilots use updrafts over warm land and downdrafts over cool water.

Ocean Circulation and Climate Change

• The Gulf Stream affects the climate of the southeastern United States and western Europe.
• Warm water from the Gulf of Mexico travels to the North Atlantic, cools and sinks, then moves south through the South Atlantic.
• Melting ice sheets and ocean warming are adding less dense freshwater to oceans.
• This change is making it harder for water to sink, weakening the Gulf Stream.
• Potential Gulf Stream collapse could cause sea level rise (e.g., in Miami) and increase storms and temperatures in Western Europe.

The Coriolis Effect deflects air due to Earth's rotation, influencing both air and ocean currents. Vertical air movement creates circulating air cells, establishing consistent wind patterns. Fluid composition, like seawater salinity, impacts density and circulation.