EAS100 Lecture Notes - Lecture 26: Geostrophic Wind, Ekman Spiral, Vector Field

• School: University of Alberta
• Department: Earth and Atmospheric Sciences
• Course: EAS100
• Professor: Korhan Ayranci

Document Summary

Results from the drop in air pressure per unit of distance. As air is intensely heated near equator, it expands and decreases in density. The low density of air generates a region of low pressure. Air tends to rise because of its buoyancy. Air tends to flow in from zones of higher pressure to take the place of the rising air. When flow is parallel to isobars, pressure gradient is exactly balanced by coriolis. Geostrophic winds: winds that result from a balance between pressure gradient. Flow near surface is not exactly geostrophic > friction reduces the coriolis flow and the coriolis deflection. High pressure areas (anticyclones) have cw outward spiralling winds. Poleward flow of air from high pressure divergence regions. Cold, dry, high-latitude air descends near the pole, creating high pressure area of divergence. Equatorial areas dominated by easterlies trade winds".