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METEOROLOGY. Chapter 5 Objectives 5-2 & 5-3. Objectives. Objective 5-2 Describe and explain the general circulation pattern. Objective 5-3 Explain jet streams and deserts as effects of the general circulation. Scales of Motion. http://rst.gsfc.nasa.gov/Sect14/Sect14_1d.html.
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METEOROLOGY Chapter 5 Objectives 5-2 & 5-3
Objectives • Objective 5-2 • Describe and explain the general circulation pattern. • Objective 5-3 • Explain jet streams and deserts as effects of the general circulation.
Scales of Motion http://rst.gsfc.nasa.gov/Sect14/Sect14_1d.html
The General Circulation • On a non-rotating Earth: • Air would be heated and rise in the tropics. • The upper-level air would flow from the tropics towards the poles. • Cold air would sink at the poles. • Surface winds would be constant from the pole to the tropics.
The General Circulation http://apollo.lsc.vsc.edu/classes/met130/notes/chapter10/single_cell.html
The General Circulation • But the Earth IS spinning on its axis. • This causes the Coriolis effect to come into play. • Air is heated in the tropics and rises. • As the air begins to move towards the poles, it is deflected by the Coriolis forces. • At about 30º N and S, it is flowing in an easterly direction, causing the subtropical jetstreams.
The General Circulation http://apollo.lsc.vsc.edu/classes/met130/notes/chapter10/three_cell.html
The General Circulation http://www.nevis.k12.mn.us/academics/science/MeteorNotes.htm
The General Circulation http://apollo.lsc.vsc.edu/classes/met130/notes/chapter10/global_precip.html
Deserts of the World http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/deserts/what/world.html
Jet Streams • Jet Streams form where upper level air flows eastward. • There are two Northern and two Southern Hemisphere jet streams at about 30º and 50º N and S latitudes. • The circumpolar jet stream meanders between 35º N and 60º N.
Jet Streams • The jet streams are fast-moving (up to 400 km/hr) rivers of air at altitudes above 4 km. • They are normally about 2 or 3 km deep and around 100 km wide.
N. Hemisphere Jet Streams http://www.fas.org/irp/imint/docs/rst/Sect14/Sect14_1c.html
N. American Jet Streams http://www.fas.org/irp/imint/docs/rst/Sect14/Sect14_1c.html