1. Wind
Wind is created by solar energy. More specifically wind is created by the uneven heating of the Earth. Reasons why the Earth heats unevenly: 1) it’s made of water and land
1. Hot air rises
3. Cool air fills void
wind
2. Void
Water Land

2. Wwhat happens at night?
wind

3. Global Winds
Global winds are created by the uneven heating of the Earth.
Why doesn’t the Earth heat evenly?
1. The planet is a sphere
2. Parts of the planet are covered by land and parts are covered by water.

4. Only the part of the Earth that is in a direct line with the sun (the tropics) gets the full force of the solar radiation.
As you move north and south from the tropics the solar radiation comes in at an angle and thus has less heat. The least amount being at the poles (north and south)

5. The air cools, becoming more dense causing it to sink.
The solar radiation hitting the tropics heats the air and causes it to rise.
The air hits the upper atmosphere causing the air to move north and south.
The air cools, becoming more dense causing it to sink.
Equator
South
North
cold air
hot air

6. These circular motions of air are called cells.
The hot air rising leaves a void which is filled by air, which we call wind.
These circular motions of air are called cells.
Equator
South
North
cold air
hot air
Wind

8. The rising air is a low pressure system.
The sinking air is a high pressure system.
area of low
pressure
area of high
(Notice that the air moves away from an area of high pressure and towards an area of low pressure.)

9. If viewed from above the pressure systems would appear like this:

10. Global winds created by the cells

11. Coriolis Effect
Everything moving in the northern hemisphere veers to the right.
Everything in the southern hemisphere veers to the left.
This is called the Coriolis Effect and it is due to the rotation of the Earth.

12. The rotation of the Earth causes things that are moving to veer.
This is known as the Coriolis effect

13. Because of the
Coriolis effect
everything moving in the northern hemisphere veers to the right or
spins clockwise
everything moving in the southern hemisphere
veers to the left or
spins counterclockwise

14. Coriolis effect on global winds

15. As a result of the Coriolis effect there are global winds that circulate around the world.
Winds are named for the direction from which they originate. (Westerlies aka Jet Stream)

17. What are winds that blow from the northwest to the southeast called?
From where do trade winds get their name?
Equatorial Doldrums are areas above the equator with little or no wind.
Why do these areas lack winds?
What are Horse Latitudes and what do they have to do with horses?

18. Global Winds Create Currents
1. Trade winds create a current that travels from east to west.
2. The water deflects and travels north.
3. The Westerlies cause the water to go east. 3 2 1

19. Similar currents occur in the southern hemisphere
except they occur in reverse (counter clockwise)
One major difference is that there is a current that
connects all of the oceans. (West Wind Belt)
Similar currents occur in the other oceans. Draw them in.

20. The currents that run north and south parallel to the land
are called continental boundary currents
The currents that run parallel to the equator
are called equatorial currents (north and south)
The circular motion of the water is called a gyre

21. There are also counter currents which are generally
not as strong as the other currents.
Many of the currents have other names such as
A. The Gulf Stream
B. The California Current
C. The Peru Current A B. C.

23. The California (1) and Peru (2) currents bring cold
water to well lit areas which creates great
conditions for phytoplankton (plant plankton) 1. 2.

24. Upwelling
Upwelling is vertical water movement. Water brought up from the bottom of the ocean to the surface.
It occurs along the California coast for a couple of reasons: 1) The California current veers to the right forcing water away from the coast and 2) During summer months high pressure systems cause winds (Santa Ana) to blow offshore forcing more water away from the coast.
The cold water from below comes up (upwells) and fills the void.

26. offshore wind
Upwelling brings up cold nutrient rich water

27. A change in pressure systems occurs in the south Pacific
which causes the equatorial counter current to become
stronger thus the Peru current becomes weaker. Warm
water enters the Peruvian coast causing plankton to die
and the fish to either leave or die. =El Nino 1. 2.

28. White represents warm temperatures
Normal
El Nino
White represents warm temperatures

29. Normal
Climate
Change
(Global
Warming)

30. Thermohaline Controlled CirculationB E C D

31. Warm Gulf water goes north
Becomes more dense (colder & saltier) and sinks
North Atlantic Deep Water sinks to the bottom
Takes down oxygen to deep sea
In Antarctica the NADW rises to the surface when it collides with denser Antarctic Bottom Water
Some of the NADW goes south
Becomes denser (colder & saltier) ABW
Some of NADW goes north
Becomes less dense (warmer & less salty)North Atlantic intermediate water