Tropical Circulation & Response

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TROPICAL CIRCULATION AND RESPONSE

Currently global warming has lead to the expansion of the subtropics and the process of desertification . The west to east movement of the trade winds results to the subtropical jet streams broadening and expanding towards the poles resulting to warmer temperatures further subtropical . Reichler concurs that this would mean higher temperatures in heavily populated areas of the world

But if there are no circulations taken place from the tropics temperatures would rise drastically because the earth is heated by the

br sun . The North East trade winds and the South East trade winds are responsible for seasonal rainfall at the subtropics working together with the ocean currents . The excess heat in the tropics goes to higher latitudes facilitated by atmospheric circulation by winds , mainly sensible heat flux and latent heat flux (evaporation and precipitation and ocean currents . Wind circulation creates pressure zones high pressure when the warm , less dense air rises and low pressure when the cool , dense and dry air mass descends or falls . Water vapor condenses and falls to the earth as rainfall at the Intercontinental Convergence zone (ITCZ . The cool less dense air mass continues to move towards the higher altitudes it becomes denser and forced to descend back to surface in the subtropics creating high pressure , this circulation is called the Hadley cell and is found to be between the tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn

Moisture laden winds must rise to cooling point and fall as precipitation , so if there is no air movement , this phenomenon will not be experienced thereby no rain hence causing dry climatic conditions Air must move over the oceans to collect moisture and if there is no movement then there will be no winds to carry the moisture . The movement of winds regulates the temperatures at the equatorial /temperate zones when cold air moves in to displace the hot equatorial air it brings some cooling effect and therefore no air movement at the doldrums will cause the temperatures to soar high leading to dry effect

According to IPCC 2001 report it is expected that nearly all land areas will warm more rapidly especially those at the north high latitudes in the cold season . Surface temperature will increase along with water vapor , evaporation and precipitation especially in Sahara and temperature in the Northern hemisphere and small decrease in the Southern hemisphere . The increased precipitation will likely be highly variable . There will be larger mean temperature in snow and ice retreat with fewer frost days and cold waves . Surface air temperature increase are projected to in turn increase the cooling degree days which is the measure of the amount of cooling needed once the temperatures exceed the given threshold minimum per day and the decrease in the heating degree days

What is expected on most land areas is higher maximum temperature that translates to more hot days , higher minimum temperature meaning fewer cold days and frost days , decreased diurnal temperature range , increased heat...