Climatology: Tricellular Atmospheric Model

Hadley Cell

  • The cell is located between 10-30 degree latitudes in both hemispheres. 
  • This is a thermally induced cell and is the result of intense solar insolation.
  • The intense insolation produces rising air along the equator. 
  • The rising air cools down below the tropopause and diverges towards the pole as the anti-trade wind. 
  • They lead to upper air around 30 degrees latitude and sink causing the subtropical high pressure. 
  • The trade wind flows from this High Pressure toward the equator and completes this cell.
  •  It is one of the most permanent cells and is associated with a tropical monsoon and desert climate.

Ferrell Cell

  • This cell extends from 35 to 60-degree latitude in both hemispheres. 
  • This is a thermally indirect cell and induced due to dynamic forces. In this cell, the warm air is seen ascending from the polar front and breaking through near the tropopause. 
  • The most important feature of this cell is that the polar front is more continuous in the middle troposphere. 
  • There is a subsidence of air in the horse latitude from the tropical as well as polar front dells. 
  • On the surface, the circulation is completed by the westerly wind blowing toward the poleward side.

Polar Cell

  • It extends from 65 to 90 degrees in both hemispheres. 
  • This is a thermally direct cell and is strongest during winter. 
  • There is sinking air along the poles which moves towards the subpolar low as the easterly wind. 
  • In the subpolar lows, the easterly and westerly interact and the air rises to complete the polar cell circulation.

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