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Global Atmospheric Circulation

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Global Atmospheric Circulation
Global Atmospheric Circulation This essay will describe patterns of atmospheric heating and circulation. When the surface air reaches the Equator, it gets heated and rises to the top of the troposphere, where it spreads back toward the poles. When it gets to the poles, it descends back to the surface again to complete the cycle. The heat of the Sun causes water to evaporate from lakes, rivers and oceans, as well as from the leaves of plants called (transpiration). But this water doesn 't just disappear; it 's absorbed into the atmosphere and carried around the world by currents of air. Eventually the water in the air condenses to form clouds, which return it to Earth as rain or snow. The water that collects on land flows back to the oceans in rivers or streams-to begin the cycle all over again. This interaction between atmosphere and ocean is what gives us our weather and climate which is known as Atmospheric Circulation/Convection (ETAP, 2012).

Mechanisms that produce high precipitation in the tropics and temperate latitudes and low precipitation in the tropics The meeting of warm and humid air at the inter tropical convergence zone (ITCZ) from both hemispheres brought by trade winds and the subsequent rise of the air (convection) in the atmosphere. Near the equator, from about 5° north and 5° south, the northeast trade winds and southeast trade winds converge in a low pressure zone known is as the Inter Tropical Convergence Zone or ITCZ. Solar heating in the region forces air to rise through convection which results in a plethora of (high) precipitation. The ITCZ is a key component of the global circulation system (Yahoo Answer, 2007). This process produces high precipitation in the tropics. Cold fronts, low pressure systems, warm fronts and stationary fronts produces high precipitation in temperate latitudes and low precipitation in the tropics is produced when there are prevailing winds and mountain barriers. The blockage



References: Espere (2012). Global Atmosphere Circulation. Retrieved from http://www.atmosphere.mpg.de/enid/3sj.html E Teaching Assistance Program (2012).Circulation and Patterns in the Earth’s Atmosphere and Oceans. Retrieved from http://etap.org/demo/Earth_Science/es5/instruction1tutor.html Yahoo Answers. (2007). Retrieved From http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080617054612AAua6tg

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