Hadley Circulation

HADLEY CIRCULATION IS a type of atmospheric circulation following a stereotypical pattern in the para-equatorial region. Atmospheric circulation and ocean circulation together are the major mechanisms for global heat distribution. As ocean circulation refers to movement of waters, atmospheric circulation defines large-scale air movements around the globe. The principle tropical current known as Hadley Circulation affects jet streams, subtropical deserts, trade winds, and tropical rainbelts. Hadley Circulation provides westward windflow at the Earths surface and eastward jet streams at higher altitudes.

The circulating air patterns create convection currents in four global locations—each current is called a [Page 489]Hadley cell. The pattern of air movement is toward the Earth (prograde) at higher latitudes (in the subtropics) and backward (up from the Earth) at lower latitudes (near the ...