CHAPTER 6

Air-Sea Interaction

Earths Seasons
Earths axis of rotation is tilted _____ with respect

to ecliptic (plane traced by Earths solar orbit).

Axis always points in the same direction, ______________

Seasonal changes and Earths rotation cause unequal

solar heating of Earths surface

Seasons

Tilt responsible for seasons

Vernal (spring) equinox

Summer solstice

June 21st
Sun is directly ______________________________

Autumnal equinox

March 21st
____________________________________

September 23rd
Sun is directly ____________________________

Winter solstice

December 22nd
Sun is directly _____________________________

Solar Energy on Earth

Declination angular distance of Sun from the

_________________________

Varies between ___________________________

Tropics receives much greater annual radiation than polar

Polar areas
Arctic Circle 66.5 North latitude
Antarctic Circle 66.5 South latitude
Winters ___________________
up to 6 months of ________
Summers ____________________
up to 6 months of ________

Distribution of Solar Energy

1. Solar footprint
Concentrated solar
radiation at low
latitudes

Small solar footprint

Solar radiation more

diffuse at high
latitudes

Large solar footprint

Same amount of radiation

spread over a larger area

2. Atmosphere absorbs radiation

Thickness varies with latitude

____________________

3. Albedo - Reflectivity of a surface

High albedo more ________

Low albedo more _________

4. Angle of sun on sea surface

Determines how much radiation

is absorbed and reflected
As angle increases, __________
_____________________

Oceanic Heat Flow

High latitudesmore heat

lost than gained

Ice has __________
Large solar footprint
Low latitudesmore heat

gained than lost

Circulation in both
oceans and atmosphere
transfer heat

Troposphere lowest layer of atmosphere

Where all _________________

Density Variations in the Atmosphere

Convection cell rising and sinking air
Warm air rises

Less dense

Cool air sinks

More dense

Moist air rises

Less dense

Dry air sinks

More dense

Atmospheric Pressure
What kind of air creates high surface pressure?
Cool, dry (dense) air ___________

___________ surface pressure

Warm, moist air _____________

___________surface pressure

Movement of the Atmosphere

Air always flows from _________________

Ex. Balloon

Wind moving air

2011 Pearson Education, Inc.

Movements in the Air

Example: a non-

rotating Earth

Air rises at equator (low

pressure)
Air sinks at poles (high
pressure)

The Coriolis Effect

Eastward rotation of Earth on its axis deflects the

moving air or water away from its initial course

To_______in Northern Hemisphere

To ______ in Southern Hemisphere

Due to Earths _________

http://www.youtube.com/wa
tch?v=mcPs_OdQOYU

The Coriolis Effect

Caused by the difference in __________________

0 km/hour at poles
More than 1600 km/hour (1000 miles/hour) at equator

Greatest effect on objects that move_____________

_________________

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aeY9tY9vKgs

Rotation on a Globe

Buffalo and Quito located on same line of longitude (79W)

Both cities circles the globe in one day (360/24 hours = 15/1 hour)
Quito has larger circumference; thus, travels farther
Quito needs to travel faster than Buffalo

Apparent Deflection
Hypothetical war game
If a cannonball is shot north
from Quito
It will travel a straight path
But, because Earth is
rotating east to west
The cannonball appears to
veer to the right in Northern
Hemisphere
Change in velocity with
latitude is the true cause of
the Coriolis Effect

Global Atmospheric Circulation

Circulation Cells set in each hemisphere

Hadley Cell: 030 latitude

Ferrel Cell: 3060 latitude
Polar Cell: 6090 latitude

http://www.youtub
e.com/watch?
v=DHrapzHPCSA

High pressure zones __________________

_______________

Subtropical highs 30 latitude

Polar highs 90 latitude

Low pressure zones ________________

_______________________________

Equatorial low equator

Subpolar lows 60 latitude

Global Wind Belts

Trade winds From subtropical highs to equator
Northeast trades in Northern Hemisphere
Southeast trades in Southern Hemisphere
Prevailing westerlies from 3060latitude
Polar easterlies 6090 latitude

Boundaries between wind belts

Doldrums or Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) at
equator

where the northeast and southeast trade winds come together

Horse latitudes 30 latitude

Polar fronts 60 latitude

Polar fronts

Polar fronts

Idealized Three-Cell Model

More complex in reality due to

Differences in _______________between
continents and ocean
Distribution of continents and ocean
__________________

Weather conditions of atmosphere at specific

__________________________
Climate __________________________
_____________________________

Winds
High and Low Pressure
Cyclonic flow (loosen)
Counterclockwise
around a low in
Northern Hemisphere
Clockwise in Southern
Hemisphere
Anticyclonic flow

(tigthen)

Clockwise around a
high in Northern
Hemisphere
Counterclockwise
Southern Hemisphere

In Northern Hemisphere

Cyclones

Low pressure air

__________
___________

Anticyclones
High pressure air
_____________
____________

In Northern Hemisphere

Winter high pressure cells are replaced by

summer low pressure cells over continents

_________________________________

Variations in Monsoon Winds

Seasonal

July

January

Example: Seasonal shifts in atmospheric pressure over Asia

causes monsoon winds.

In summer:
Air rises over warmed land, condenses
Sudden and large volume of precipitation
Winds accumulate more H2O vapor from ocean
In winter have opposite effect

Sea and Land Breezes: Daily

Differential solar

heating is due to
different heat
capacities of land
and water.
__________

_______________

___________

______________

Oceans climate zones

Tropical and subtropical climate zones

Hurricane - Large rotating masses of _________
Also called

Typhoons
Cyclones

 Hurricane Origins

Low pressure cell

Breaks away from equatorial low pressure belt
Grows as it picks up heat energy

 Winds feed water vapor

into storm

____________________
___________________
___________________

__________________
____________________
____________

__________________

_____________

Draws additional warm moist

surface air into storm
Intensifying storm

Require
Ocean water warmer than ____________

Warm, moist air

Provides water ______________________

Provides __________________________

The Coriolis Effect

Causes storm to spin

Hurricane season is June 1 November 30

About 100 worldwide per year

Historical Storm Tracks

Hurricane Destruction
High winds
Intense rainfall
____________ increase in shoreline sea level

Most severe during ________________

Storm Destruction

http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=gd8WiiXNxho&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kou0HBpX4A&feature=relmfu

 Hurricane Intensity- Measured on the ______________

Subpolar climate zone

Winter sea ice
Polar climate zone
Sea ice most of the year

Sea Ice Formation

Sea ice forms at surface
Salinity ___________

______________

Decreases freezing point

________________

_________________
____________
________________
_________________

Surface water freezes

Establish a circulation

pattern