Global Atmospheric Circulation Model

Global Atmospheric Circulation Model

• A simplified model of air movement explaining weather patterns and climate regions.
• Based on three atmospheric cells in each hemisphere.

Atmospheric Cells

• Hadley Cell: Located on either side of the equator. Warm air rises at the equator, cools and sinks around 30° latitude.
• Ferrell Cell: Located between the Hadley and Polar cells. Air moves opposite of the Hadley Cell, with warm air moving towards the poles and converging with cold air at 60° latitude.
• Polar Cell: Located at the top and bottom of the planet. Cold air sinks at the poles and moves towards the equator.

Air Circulation within Cells

• Air circulates in a circular pattern within each cell.
• Hadley Cell: Warm air rises at the equator, cools and sinks at 30° latitude.
• Ferrell Cell: Warm air moves towards the poles, converges with cold air, and rises again around 60° latitude, returning towards the equator.
• Polar Cell: Cold air sinks at the poles and moves towards the equator.

Global Atmospheric System

• Reduces extreme temperature differences between the equator and poles.
• Air movement prevents extremely hot temperatures at the equator and extremely cold temperatures around the poles.

Impact on Weather Patterns

• The Earth's rotation (Coriolis effect) affects the direction of moving air.
• Prevailing wind direction is impacted.
• Jet streams form due to temperature and pressure differences at 30° and 60° latitudes, influencing mid-latitude weather.
• Stronger jet streams are associated with greater temperature differences.
• Polar jet stream impacts mid-latitude countries (e.g., UK).
• A northern jet stream allows warmer conditions and a southern jet stream brings colder weather.

Impact on Climate Zones

• Climate is influenced by many factors, including distance from the sea, ocean currents, landforms, distance from the equator, and wind direction.
• A clear relationship exists between climate, global atmospheric circulation, and location of landscapes and ecosystems.

Climate Zone Characteristics

• Equator (0°): Low pressure, warm air, storms, high rainfall, ideal conditions for tropical rainforests.
• 30° Latitude: High pressure, settled weather, lack of precipitation, hot temperatures, deserts.
• 60° Latitude: Cooler temperatures, low pressure, unsettled weather, wet and cold winters, warm summers, like in the UK.
• Poles (90°): High pressure, extremely cold, settled weather, polar deserts.

Explore the dynamics of the global atmospheric circulation model, focusing on the three primary atmospheric cells: Hadley, Ferrell, and Polar. This quiz delves into how these cells affect weather patterns and climate regions around the world.