6hr tracks and Height of 2.5 x 104 Pascal surface Note eastward flow in our latitudes, the clockwise circulation around the upward bulge in the surface that develops off the west coast of the US, and around the lows near Antarctica [southern hemisphere so the vertical component of Omega is negative] and counterclockwise flow around the lows in the Arctic. 11/28/2020-12/13/2020
6hr tracks and Height - climatology We'll simplify by using the average pressure and height for the month of November.
Coriolis on sphere Simulating movement under the influence of Coriolis forces and northward pressure force, Try without forces. Then think of the polar regions as having low pressure which tries to accelerate the motion poleward.
Use the climatological winds and show height, trajectory, and force balance
extra: Uncheck to track in time-dependent pressure field. (Try Japan)
Aerosols
AM3 model using estimated emissions: analysis, and animation prepared by Paul
Ginoux (NOAA/ GFDL) with visualization code from NASA/ GSFC.
The colors show four different aerosols:
* grey=sulfate
* green=organic and black carbon
* blue=sea-salt
* red=dust
with the intensity proportional to the optical thickness, shading to white
for the highest density. (optical thicknesses of 0.01, 0.1, 1 mean that,
repectively, 1%, 9.5%, 63% of incoming light is absorbed).
The first movie shows the track of a polar-orbiting satellite passing over the north pole viewed as though the Earth were not rotating. The yellow points are 4 minutes apart. The observer is also in the inertial frame. Coriolis (non-rotating Earth)
The second movie now has the Earth rotating. The satellite is sending a laser beam down every 4 minutes to leave a red spot on the Earth. (Don't ask how it works over water...). Note that the red spots always appear just below the satellite, but as the satellite moves, the Earth rotates and so the point is no longer on the track line. The view here is still from inertial space. Coriolis (rotating Earth)
Thus the track of this inertial object appears to be curved when viewed by an observer on the Earth. So the observer postulates that there must be a force accelerating it -- this is the "Coriolis force" (with a bit of centrifugal force mixed in).