Wind

Wind is a fluid motion in an atmosphere. All wind is caused by pressure differences. Wind is ubiquitous but varies considerably in its spatial and temporal scales and has a significant impact on the human and physical components of Earth.

Humans have long been fascinated by the wind. For example, several references to wind are found in the Bible. In Greek mythology, Aeolus was the custodian of the four winds. Evangelista Torricelli, who invented the barometer, provided the first scientific description of wind formation in the mid 17th century. We now have the capability of measuring wind from space and have garnered enough information about wind patterns to [Page 3104]predict weather and generate power from wind, for example. This discussion of wind is organized around four ...