What are the flow of currents in the northern and southern hemispheres?
Gyres flow clockwise in Northern Hemisphere oceans and counterclockwise in Southern Hemisphere oceans because of the Coriolis Effect. creating surface ocean currents. Near the Earth’s poles, gyres tend to flow in the opposite direction.
Which current flows through the poles?
The remaining air (air that does not descend at 30 degrees North or South latitude) continues toward the poles and is known as the westerly winds, or westerlies. The trade winds are so named because ships have historically taken advantage of them to aid their journies between Europe and the Americas (Bowditch, 1995).
What is the circulation of air at the North Pole?
At the poles, air is cooled and sinks towards the ground forming high pressure, this known as the Polar high. It then flows towards the lower latitudes. At about 60 degrees N and S, the cold polar air mixes with warmer tropical air and rises upwards, creating a zone of low pressure called the subpolar low.
Is the cool air at the North and South poles rising or sinking?
At the top of the troposphere, half moves toward the North Pole and half toward the South Pole. As it moves along the top of the troposphere it cools. The cool air is dense and when it reaches a high pressure zone it sinks to the ground.
Why does air flow towards the poles?
Warm air tends to rise. But that air is going to go somewhere. It does not just rise out into space. It moves toward the North Pole or the South Pole, attempting to balance the heat difference between the Equator and Poles.
Where do ocean currents move near the Poles?
Near to poles ocean currents are cold. To established heat balance between ocean current moves between equatorial and polar areas. COLD OCEAN CURRENTS moves from polar to equatorial areas. WARM OCEAN CURRENTS moves from equatorial to polar areas. Cold ocean currents moves along the western margins of contents.
How does air move from the north to the South Pole?
At the top of the troposphere, half moves toward the North Pole and half toward the South Pole. As it moves along the top of the troposphere it cools. The cool air is dense and when it reaches a high pressure zone it sinks to the ground. The air is sucked back toward the low pressure at the equator.
What kind of currents start near the equator?
Large rotating currents that start near the equator are called subtropical gyres. There are five main gyres: the North and South Pacific Subtropical Gyres, the North and South Atlantic Subtropical Gyres, and the Indian Ocean Subtropical Gyre.
Where are the polar and subtropical jet streams located?
The Polar jets, at lower altitude, and often intruding into mid-latitudes, strongly affect weather and aviation. The polar jet stream is most commonly found between latitudes 30° and 60° (closer to 60°), while the subtropical jet streams are located close to latitude 30°.