1. Motion and the Atmosphere
Earth’s
Motion and the Atmosphere

2. As you should know… The Earth: Rotates Revolves around the Sun
Revolves with the Sun around the Center of our galaxy
Moves with the galaxy out from the Big Bang
It also
Precesses!

3. Precession
The direction that the Earth’s Axis points changes gradually in a circle every 26,000 years It precesses like a top Currently it points toward Polaris In 14,000 AD it will point at… Vega

4. Remember Earth’s Rotation…
All parts rotate once in 23 hrs 56 min
But the Tangential Velocity varies with latitude
It is about…
1000 mph at the Equator
800 mph here in Culver City
0 mph at the poles

5. The Coriolis Effect
Due to Earth’s rotation an object trying to go directly from Pole to Equator will be deflected to the West. One going from Equator to Pole will be deflected East. This causes…

6. Ocean Currents to circle clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere (counterclockwise in the southern)

7. Storms to circle counterclockwise in the northern hemisphere Clockwise in the southern

8. Atmospheric Convection currents are deflected into prevailing winds
which divide the atmosphere
into bands moving in alternate directions