Introduction
Weather patterns and their resulting phenomena are some of the most complex and unpredictable natural events on Earth. In our modern era, with its ever-increasing population and dependence on technology, understanding and predicting weather events can be crucial in the prevention of natural disasters or damage caused by extreme weather events.
In this article, we will explore atmospheric and oceanic circulation patterns, and how they play a role in worldwide weather conditions.
What is Atmospheric and Oceanic Circulation?
Atmospheric circulation is the large-scale movement of air, and oceanic circulation is the large-scale movement of water. At a very basic level, they both follow the same patterns: air or water is heated, rises, flows away from the source of heat, cools, and then descends.
Atmospheric circulation is made up of three main components: convection (rising of warm air or falling of cool air), advection (horizontal transport of air by wind), and pressure gradients (changes in atmospheric pressure). These components act together to create a three-dimensional circulation of air called the General Circulation of the Atmosphere (GCA).
The GCA works in much the same way as the ocean’s three-dimensional circulation, known as the ocean’s General Circulation Model (GCM). The GCM is formed from surface and deep currents, which carry water from the warmer temperatures of the surface to the cooler temperatures of the deep ocean. This circulation is then affected by atmospheric circulation, wind, pressure gradients, and oceanic heat storage.
Atmospheric and Oceanic Circulation Patterns
Atmospheric and oceanic circulation patterns result from the large-scale movement of either air or water. These patterns can be broken down into two main categories: Hadley Cells and Rossby Waves.
Hadley Cells are large-scale atmospheric circulation patterns that are driven by the heating of the earth's surface by the sun. These cells describe the movement of air away from the equator and towards the poles. This circulatory pattern is responsible for the movement of the jet streams, and the associated weather patterns of the mid-latitudes.
Rossby Waves, on the other hand, are large-scale oceanic circulation patterns that are driven by the effects of the Earth's rotation. These waves describe the movement of surface waters away from the Equator and towards the Poles. These circulation patterns are responsible for the gyres of the ocean, and for the currents of the deep ocean.
Effect of Atmospheric and Oceanic Circulation Patterns on Weather
Hadley Cells are responsible for some of the most impressive weather phenomena of our time, most notably the tropical storms and hurricanes that forms around the equator.
At the equator, the warmth from the sun causes air to rise and expand, while at the poles the air is cooler and falls and contracts. This creates a circulatory pattern where warm air is transported from the Equator and towards the poles, and cold air is transported from the poles and towards the Equator. This pattern is responsible for the formation of the jet streams, as well as other weather phenomena such as the Santa Ana winds of the western US and the Chinook winds of the Rockies.
These two circulation patterns interact with each other and other global weather patterns.
Rossby Waves, on the other hand, are responsible for the gyres, or currents of the deep ocean, which are affected by the Coriolis Effect created by the Earth's rotation. These oceanic currents often carry warm and cold water from one region of the ocean to another.
These oceanic currents affect the temperatures of the regions they travel through, as well as influencing weather on both regional and global scales. For example, the warm gulf stream current affects the climate in Europe, as well as the weather systems of the North Atlantic and Baltic Sea. The warm South Atlantic current, on the other hand, affects the climate in South America and the weather systems of the subtropical Atlantic.
Conclusion
Understanding atmospheric and oceanic circulation patterns is of ever-increasing importance in the modern world. By understanding how these circulation patterns interact with each other and other global weather patterns, we can better understand how weather events are created and how they may evolve.
By increasing our knowledge of these circulation patterns, we can also better predict and prepare for future weather events, and better protect our communities from the effects of extreme weather conditions.