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Factors that affect c limate Air Masses and Ocean Currents

Factors that affect c limate Air Masses and Ocean Currents. AIR MASSES. What is an air mass ?. “A large volume of air that takes on the climatic conditions of the area where it is formed.”.

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Factors that affect c limate Air Masses and Ocean Currents

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  1. Factors that affect climateAir Masses and Ocean Currents

  2. AIR MASSES

  3. What is an air mass? • “A large volume of air that takes on the climatic conditions of the area where it is formed.”

  4. The area where an air mass originates is called the ‘source region’. The longer the air mass stays in the source region, the more it will have the properties of the region. Continental source regions create dry air masses, while maritime source regions create humid air masses.

  5. Classifying Air Masses Air Masses are classified using a two letter code. The first (lower case letter) defines the humidity content of the air mass. The second letter (upper case) defines its temperature characteristics. Humidity: • continental – Formed over large land masses. • maritime – Formed over large bodies of water. Temperature: • Arctic – Formed above the arctic circle about 66° north and south. • Polar – Formed between 55° and 66° north and south. • Tropical – Formed in the tropics, near the equator.

  6. OCEAN CURRENTS

  7. By some estimates, as many as 10 000 cargo containers are lost, during storms, every year. http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01808/boat-cargo-falling_1808576b.jpg

  8. Most of these containers end up on the bottom of the ocean, but sometimes they break open and spill their contents into the ocean. http://cgmindustries.typepad.com/.a/6a0133f384af75970b0147e31b2235970b-800wi

  9. In 1992, a container with a shipment of rubber ducks (and other bathtub toys) fell into the Pacific Ocean and the ducks have been tracked ever since by Dr, Charles Ebbesmeyer.

  10. The map below shows their journey so far. http://followthecontainer.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/ocean-debris-friendly_floatees.png

  11. Uh, what’s your point???? The movement of the rubber ducks illustrates how water moves through the world’s oceans transferring ducks, but also transferring energy. http://crossedcrocodiles.files.wordpress.com/2010/05/ocean-currents-conveyorbelt.jpg

  12. The Air Above Ocean Currents • Warm currents make the air above them warmer, while cool currents cool the air above them. • Therefore, a warm current flowing along a coastline warms up the local climate. A cold current flowing along a coastline cools down the local climate. http://crossedcrocodiles.files.wordpress.com/2010/05/ocean-currents-conveyorbelt.jpg

  13. When Currents Collide • What happens when a cold current (e.g. The Labrador Current) collides with a warm current (e.g. the Gulf Stream).  Fog

  14. The Foggiest Place in the World • The Grand Banks, where the Labrador Current and the Gulf Stream collide, is the foggiest place in the world. • This creates situations which are hazardous to shipping.

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