Vegetation zones Biomes OBSERVATION: Tropical forests, grasslands, deserts, tundra, etc.

Variations in solar energy input drive global patterns of precipitation.

Uneven input of energy:

Warm air rises, cold air falls:

Water-holding capacity of air:

Warm air rises, zone of low pressure, rain:

Rising air or low pressure at the equator. Falling air or high pressure at 30 latitude. Descending air warms, carries more water and dries the environment.

It will rain: 1.Areas of permanent low pressure (equatorial doldrums, and 30 latitude). 2.When a cold and warm front collide. 3.When air crosses a mountain range.

You find deserts:

Deserts

Variations in solar energy input drive global patterns of winds.

Wind = movement of air on the earth’s surface:

Wind deviation b/c of earth’s rotation and ball-shape:

Housekeeping items: 1.Bring your computer this afternoon if you have EXCEL loaded. I do not have Excel 2013! 2.Read on VAULT: Tropical rainforest, Sloth, Strangler Figs, Ant Bird.

Patterns of atmospheric circulation:

Velocity at different latitudes.

Deviation of winds by the West-to-East rotation of the Earth:

Atmospheric circulations Winds

Application 1: Sierra Nevada Mountains.

Application 2: Coastal and Cascade Range in Oregon and Washington.

Oregon and Washington

A wet (monsoon) and dry season of South East Asia: 1.Large seasonal shift of the “equatorial” hotspot: Intertropical Covergence Zone (ITCZ). 2.Seasonal reversal of low and high pressure zone over the Himalayan mountains.

Intertropical Convergence Zone

ITCZ: Intertropical Convergence Zone (where NE and SE trade winds converge (doldrums)

Summer (July). Winter (January)

UNEVEN COOLING/HEATING OF LAND AND WATER. Summer warm cold Winter coldwarm Sea Land Sea Land

Changing Trade winds over India.

Global patterns of ocean surface currents (gyrals)

Surface temperatures oceans