Detailed notes about global air circulation for Grade 11 and Grade 12 students including notes about pressure belts, the tri-cellular model, planetary winds and air masses. The notes contain questions at the end to test your knowledge about the topic as well as a very useful picture summary.
Global Air Circulation
Global air circulation of atmosphere is vertical and horizontal movement of air on a large
scale
Factors that contribute to global air circulation:
• Pressure belts
• Tri-cellular circulation
• Planetary winds
• Geostrophic flow
• Regional and local air movement
• Air masses
Pressure belts
A pressure belt is a large part of Earth where predominantly high/low atmospheric pressure
occurs
• Equatorial LP belt (doldrums) – no winds – sailors would get stuck
• Subtropical HP belt (horse latitudes)
• Sub-polar LP belt
• Polar HP belt
o Equatorial + polar – thermal pressures – pressure due to hot/cold temperatures of air
o Subtropical + sub-polar – dynamic pressures – pressure due to convergence and
rising/subsidence of air
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