The interaction between the heat of the sun and the earth’s atmosphere has a great responsibility to the world’s climate. The uneven heating of the earth and atmosphere tendency to reach equilibrium forces, the movement of large air masses. This leads to changes in climatic conditions.
The tilt of Earth’s axis causes seasonal variations as different parts of the Earth receives wide amount of sunlight every day. The tropical zone between 23.5 degrees north latitude and 23.5 degrees south latitude, receives maximum heat throughout the year. This convection effect. This convection causes the hot air to rise, forming a low pressure and low again as rain.
Until it reaches the tropopause (the union of the stratosphere and troposphere), the hot air rising. You can not cross the tropopause. It extends poleward and then cools and sinks generally between 30 degrees north and south. The sinking air produces a belt of high pressure that causes the dry and sunny weather. The deserts of the earth are mostly found in these areas.
In the area between 30 degrees north and south latitudes sinking air mass displaces a considerable air that was already there. Some of those moves to the equatorial zone, as the trade winds. In the time it reaches Ecuador, it dies and this is called the stagnation by sailors.
Thus we can see that the global circulation of air is largely because of rising air in the tropics, the collapse of the same between 30 degrees latitude north and south and even the possible flows back of it to Ecuador. The whole process was first observed by the English scientist George Hadley and therefore named as Hadley cells.
All the equatorial winds increase will not sink into the zone 30 degrees. Some still flowing to reaching the poles. They meet polar air at 60 degrees north and south. This area is called the polar front. From here the hot air moves toward the area of 30 degrees and this was first observed by William Ferrel in 1856. Thus, this process earns its name: the Ferrel cells.
There is some air that rises to 60 degrees and the Flows to 60 degrees north and south of the area. This is a process rather weak and is popularly known as the polar Hadley cells.
The next time you are enjoying your holiday to Villajoyosa and the Costa Blanca can understand why the climate in those places is so excellent in almost all seasons.
Las Vegas Strip (including Wynn, Encore, Palazzo, and Venetian) goes dark for Earth Hour – 2010.
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