El Niņo, Walker Circulation Anomaly
by Science Source
Title
El Niņo, Walker Circulation Anomaly
Artist
Science Source
Medium
Photograph - Photograph
Description
Generalized Walker Circulation (December-February) anomaly during El Niņo events, overlaid on map of average sea surface temperature anomalies. Anomalous ocean warming in the central and eastern Pacific (orange) help to shift a rising branch of the Walker Circulation to east of 180°, while sinking branches shift to over the Maritime continent and northern South America. The Walker circulation, also known as the Walker cell, is a conceptual model of the air flow in the tropics in the lower atmosphere (troposphere). According to this model, parcels of air follow a closed circulation in the zonal and vertical directions. This circulation, which is roughly consistent with observations, is caused by differences in heat distribution between ocean and land. It was discovered by Gilbert Walker.
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July 20th, 2016
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