because this is the zone of maximum heating - Air is heated at the equator, creating an area of low pressure - Warm air rises at the Equator, where it cools and sinks creating the subtropical high. - Upper atmospheric winds push air to the tropics, to the equatorial low pressure which forms the Hadley Cell. - Some of this air returns over the surface, as the Trade winds,, to converge at the polar front with cool air from the poles (Polar Easterlies) - The remainder of the air travels north over the surface (creating the westerlies), creating an area of low pressure called the Polar Front. - This converging air causes the air to rise, where it sinks forming the Polar Cell. - Some of this air flows in the upper atmosphere to the Poles, and sinks at the tropics to complete the Ferrel Cell. - The remainder of this air in the upper atmosphere travels south, which deflects these winds to the right in the northern hemisphere. - The spinning of the earth create the Coriolis Effect, whereas the Ferrel Cell is driven by the other two. - The Hadley and the Polar Cell are thermally direct,

Atmospheric Circulation

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