MAST200 Lecture 9: The Oceans L9
30 Sep 2016
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Document Summary
Wind driven, thus similar to pattern of major wind belts. Moving air molecules collide with water molecules at air/water interface. Momentum of moving air molecules is transferred to water molecules. Speed of water is 3 - 4% wind speed. We can predict a lot about currents from knowledge of wind patterns. Leads to concept of zonal wind flow. Spatial scale of 10^3 - 10^4 km (synoptic scale) Zonal winds blow nearly parallel to lines of latitude. In response to unequal heating across earth"s surface. Unequal heating and coriolis deflection result in zonal flow arranged in three circulation cells: polar, ferrel, hadley. Three circulation cells per hemisphere--unequal heating of earth and coriolis deflection cause zonal wind system to develop. Air sinks can be found at high pressure sites. Based on circulation cells in the northern hemisphere, we can expect: From north to south along surface leg of polar cell. From south to north along surface leg of ferrel cell.
