Oceanography

Climatology
Topics under Oceanography
Ocean bottom relief
Resources from continental shelf
petroleum Sulphur
 Resources from continental shelf
Placer deposit Pearls, fish, calcium
 Continental margins
Continental slope Continental rise
 Abyssal plain
Poly-metallic nodules Indian exploration
 Types of Islands
Continental Islands Volcanic islands
 Types of Islands
Sand-bar islands Coral Islands
 Coral reef
formation conditions

❑ Symbiotic ▪ Sunlight –depth 50 m

relationship between ▪ Temp – 25-27 deg
coral polyps and
▪ Salinity – 33
xooxanthalae
▪ Calm, circulating
nutrient rich water
▪ Not at mouth of river
 Coral reef
Coral bleaching Reasons for bleaching

❑ Coral polyps expel ▪ Global warming

xooxanthalae under ▪ Ozone depletion
stress condition
▪ Ocean acidification
▪ Sedimentation
▪ Marine pollution
▪ diseases
Formation of coral reef

• Fringing reef –
barrier reef- atoll
• Subsidence
theory of Darwin
• Standstill theory
of Murray
Motion of Ocean water
Horizontal motion of ocean water
waves Ocean currents
 Tides
tides Spring-neap tide
 Up-welling and down-welling
Upwelling Down-welling
 Temperature of Ocean
❑ Main energy source - Insolation
❑ Oceans play important role in energy and
temperature regulation on earth, due to
specific heat of the water
❑ Average temperature of ocean = 3-5 degree
Celsius
❑ But average surface temperature of ocean
water = 25 degree
Temperature Pattern of the Ocean
• Latitudinal variation
• It decreases from
equator to poles
• But highest
temperature is not at
the equator but at the
tropics
• Reason: high rainfall,
cloud cover (high
albedo/ reflection of
sunrays)
 Temperature pattern of the Oceans
• Hemispheric
variation
• Northern
hemisphere
warmer than
southern
• Reason: large
land mass in
northern
hemisphere –
high energy
 Temperature pattern of the Oceans
• Enclosed seas
• Marginal seas of
tropics warmer than
open Ocean +
marginal seas of
temperate region
cooler than open seas
• Reason: less mixing of
water
 Temperature pattern of the Oceans
• Ocean currents
• Warm ocean
current
–warming effect
• Cold ocean
current cooling
effect
 Temperature pattern of the Oceans
• Up-welling and dow-
welling
• Upwelling bring cool
water from depth
–lower down the
surface temp
 Temperature pattern of the Oceans

• Down-welling –
piling up of warm
water – increase
the temp
Diurnal range of temperature
• Max temp of day
and min temp of
night time
• Tropical water
higher diurnal
range than
equatorial waters
• Because, Heating
and cooling of
water rapid under
clear sky
Annual range of temperature
• Bigger the size of
ocean- better
mixing of water
and heat
• Lower annual
range
• Pacific ocean
–lower annual
range than
Atlantic Ocean
 Question
Q. Consider the following
statements:
UPSC
1) Annual range of temperature is
greater in Pacific ocean than in
Atlantic ocean
2) Annual range of temperature is Prelims
greater in northern hemisphere 2007
that in southern hemisphere
 Question
Which of the statement is correct?
a) 1 only UPSC
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) Neither 1 or 2 Prelims
2007
Ans. B)
Pacific Ocean – better mixing
Vertical distribution of temperature
1st layer – upto 500m
(20-25 deg C)
nd
2 layer – thermocline
500-1000m
3th layer – cold layer
–beyond 1000m
Vertical distribution of temperature
• Temp decreases with
increasing depth
• rate of decrement is
rapid at equator
–tropics than towards
poles
• 1 layer – permanent
st

in Tropics– temperate
only in summer
 Salinity of Ocean water
❑ Amount of salt found in 1000 gm of water
❑ Nacl (78%), MgCl2 (11%), MgSO4 (3.5%),
CaSO4 (2.5%)
❑ Na and Cl has high residual time in ocean
water – very gradual removal – that’s why,
they remain in the highest proportion
 Salt Budget
❑ Irrespective of absolute salinity of the water,
the proportion of the salt remain same in all
parts of the oceans
❑ Amount of addition or extraction of fresh
water compared to salt content in the Ocean
water decides absolute salinity of the
Oceans.
 Sources of salts in ocean water
❑ Sediments carried by rivers
❑ Submarine volcanism at MOR
❑ Chemical reaction between rocks of
geothermal vent of volcano and cold water
❑ Erosion of oceanic rocks
 Removal of Salts in Ocean water
❑ Physical removal – waves break at the
beaches, salt-spray
❑ Biological removal – marine life forms
extract calcium from sea water for their
bones
 Variation in salinity
❑ Addition of fresh water => Rainfall, inflow of
large river, melting of glacier => less salinity
❑ Reduction of fresh water => increase in
temperature, high evaporation, windy (wind
accelerate the evaporation)
 Salinity of the oceans
❑ Standard salinity of ocean water is = 35.5
ppt – salinity of Atlantic Ocean
❑ Dead Sea (350 salinity), Lake van (400),
Lake Urmia
❑ Man seldom drowned in sea with high
salinity
❑ Because, high salinity = high density
Pattern in variation of salinity
• Salinity goes
decrease from
equator to poles
• But highest salinity
is not at the equator
= because high
rainfall, cloud cover
• Highest salinity is at
tropics
Pattern in variation of salinity
• Northern
hemisphere –
warmer – high
evaporation – saline
• But in southern
Pacific- roaring 40,
furious 50 and
shrinking 60
screaming 70 – very
fast winds
• High evaporation =>
high salinity
 Local Variations in Salinity
• 1 - Ocean
st

currents
• warm ocean
current like, high
evaporation
• Cold current led to
Up-welling: cooler
water from depth
come at the
surface => low
salinity
 Local Variations in Salinity
• 2nd - Enclosed seas
• low latitude - warmer
than open sea- high
salinity
• Ex. Mediterranean Sea,
Red sea
• high latitude- cooler
than open sea – low
salinity
• Ex. Baltic Sea
 Local Variations in Salinity
• 3th – inflow of large
rivers
• Ganga – Brahmaputra
flow into Bay of Bengal
• Bay of Bengal less
saline than Arabian sea
 Rivers inflow to the seas
Mississippi in G.of Amu darya, Syr darya
Mexico to Aral sea
 Rivers inflow to the seas
Black sea Persian gulf
 Local Variations in Salinity
• 4th – glaciers
• Baltic sea receive
fresh water from
melting of glaciers –
low salinity
 Vertical pattern of salinity
❑ Salinity decreases with increasing depth
❑ Temp of water decreases
❑ Density of water increases
❑ Salinity increases density –water sinks
❑ Saline water freeze slowly compared to pure
water
 Vertical pattern of salinity
❑ Equator – salinity increases with depth upto
some layer –than decreases with depth
❑ Beyond equator – salinity decreases with
depth
❑ Vertical salinity variation of oceans is
complicated
❑ No uniform layering
❑ Temperature of ocean water
❑ variations
❑ Salinity of ocean water
❑ Salt budget
❑ variations
Climatology
Origin of the Atmosphere on Earth
• Early atmosphere has
H and He in
abundance -lighter
gases escaped
• During early life of the
earth – extensive
volcanism- degassing.
N, S, Water Vapour,
Argon and CO2 came
out
Origin of the Atmosphere on Earth
• Water vapour
condensed – clouds
– rainfall –washed
out bulk of the CO2
into Oceans. Co2 =
0.03%
• Oxygen – from
anaerobic respiration
of bacteria like,
Cynobacteria
 Proportion of gases
Gas Proportion
Nitrogen 78%
Oxygen 21%
Argon 0.93%
Carbon dioxide 0.03%
Neon 0.0018%
Helium 0.00005%
ozone 0.00006%
 Proportion of gases
❑ N, O, H and Argon are permanent gases
❑ Water vapour, Co2, ozone -> variable gases,
GHG
❑ N, Argon – inert gases
❑ Atmospheric gases- no chemical interaction
among them
❑ They don’t lose their properties
❑ They act as a single unified gas
Structure of atmosphere
Troposphere
• 90% of atmosphere
within 32 km
• Tropopause = Height
8 km at poles, 18
km at equator
• At equator
cumulonimbus
clouds
Greenhouse e ect in troposphere
• Temperature decrease
as height increases
• Transparent to
insolation (shortwave)
• Heated by terrestrial
radiation (longwave)
• GHGs absorbs long
wave terrestrial
radiation
 Question
Q. normally, the temperature
decreases with increase in height
from the earth’s surface, because, UPSC
1. Atmosphere can be heated
upward only from earth’s surface
2. There is more moisture in upper
atmosphere Prelims
3. The air is less dense in upper 2012
atmosphere
 Question
a) 1 only
b) 2 and 3 UPSC
c) 1 and 3
d) 1,2 and 3

Ans. C) Prelims
Less dense = less amount of GHGs 2012
= low temp
stratosphere
• Temperature
increases with
height
• Because of the
presence of
ozone layer
• Ozone absorbs
UV rays from
isolation
 Question
Q. The jet aircrafts fly very easily
and smoothly in lower stratosphere.
Why? UPSC
1. There are no clouds or water
vapour in lower stratosphere
2. There are no vertical winds in
lower stratosphere Prelims
2011
Ans. 1 in wrong, 2 is correct
Mesosphere

• Absence of GHGs
• Temperature
decreases with height
Noctilucent clouds
Mesospheric clouds
• Clouds visible at
high latitudes
• During summer
season
• Condensation of
mixture of meteoric
dust and some
moisture
Thermosphere
• Temperature increase
with height
• Gases in ionic state –
trap insolation –
extremely hot
• But ions are highly
dispersed
• Up to 800 km from
earth
Ionosphere

• From 80km to
640 km
• Number of ionic
layers
• Useful in radio-
communication
Ionosphere
• High energy sunrays
and cosmic rays
break the atoms of
air molecules –
become ionised (+ve
charged)
• Behave as free
particles
• At night time, only
cosmic rays
ionization -weak
 Layers of Ionosphere
layers height Frequency Presence formation

D 60-90km LF Day-time Solar

radiation
E 99-130km MF, HF Day-time UV with N
molecule

F 150-380k MF, HF Day &night

m

G >400km MF, HF Day & night

 Question
Q. A layer in Earth’s atmosphere
called ionosphere facilitates radio
communication. Why? UPSC
1. Presence of ozone cause
reflection of radio waves to earth
2. Radio waves has long wavelength
Prelims
Both statements are wrong 2011
Exosphere
• Beyond 640 km
• Highly rarified
atmosphere
• Very high
temperature- but
different from air
temperature-
because no
existence of air-
temp can’t be felt
Aurora

• Glowing lights at
mid-nights at high
latitudes
• At height of
exosphere and
magnetosphere
Aurora
• sun emit solar wind/
storm from its corona
• Solar wind consist of
plasma (free
electrons and +ve
ions)
• Interaction of solar
wind with earth’s
magnetosphere -
disturbance
Auroras
• Collision of charged
particles (isonization)
in magnetosphere
• Ionised particles emit
light –release energy
• charged particles
interact with
geomagnetic field lines
• Thus, visible on high
latitudes
Heat budget
• The average
temperature of the
earth 15 degree
• Earth maintains influx
and out-flux of the
energy, but out-flux is
not immediate, it has
long time gap. That is
why, the temperature
is maintained.
Heat budget - Incoming

• First 35%
absorbed by
Ozone layer
• Then 15% by
cloud cover
• Only 50%
energy reached
to the earth
surface
Heat budget - outgoing
• 20% is lost in latent
heat of evaporation
10% lost in
sensible heat
(temperature of the
body)
• 15% absorbed by
GHGs
• Remaining 5% was
released in the
space
Albedo
• Ratio between the
total solar radiation
falling upon a surface
and the amount
reflected
• Represents as %
• Earth’s avg. Albedo =
35%
• Lowest- dark soil
• highest - snowfall
 Albedo - table

surface Albedo
Fresh snow 80%-90%
Desert 35-45%
Grasses 26%
Crops 15%
Brick - concrete 10-20%
 Question
Q. Which one of the following reflect
back more sunlight as compared to
other three? UPSC
a) sandy desert
b) Paddy crops
c) Land covered with fresh snow
d) Prairie land Prelims
2010
Ans. C)
 Movement of air
Horizontal vertical

❑ when there is ▪ when air get warm,

pressure gradient gets expands,
❑ from high pressure to becomes lighter =>
low pressure => move upwards =>
advection convection
Vertical movement of air - instability
• When air gets hotter
than surrounding air, it
rises upward
• If it has moisture -
latent heat of
condensation – more
heated – will go up -
form clouds -can bring
rainfall = instability
Vertical movement of air - stability
• When air is cooler than
surrounding –it cannot
move upward
• sinking air
• atmospheric stability
or anti-cyclonic
condition
• High pressure on
ground
Low pressure – High pressure
Adiabatic lapse rate
• The rate at which air
packet cools while
rising
• Avg adiabatic lapse
rate is 6.4 degree/km
• That is air packet gets
cool by 6.4 degree
after covering one km
upward
Wet adiabatic lapse rate
• if air packet has high
moisture content- not
get cool so fast.
• Its adiabatic lapse rate
<6.4 degree/km ~ 4
degree/km => WALR
• Wet air can reach
higher distances with
low lapse rate =>
create instability
Dry Adiabatic Lapse rate

• If air packet is dry, it

does not have much
moisture, it will get
cool very fast. More
than 6.4 degree/km –
like, 10 degree/km.
• Dry air create stable
condition
 Conditions of stability and Instability
situation condition
Conditional stability when wet ALR<
normal ALR < dry ALR
Absolute stability when normal ALR< wet
ALR < Dry ALR

Absolute instability when wet ALR< Dry

ALR< normal ALR
Temperature Inversion

• Normally, with
increasing height
temperature of air
decreasing, but
reverse is
happened than it
is called
temperature
inversion
 Ex. Of temperature Inversion
• 1st
• At Tropopause –
temperature
starts increasing
from here
• So air packet
reach till here,
start moving
downwards
 Ex. Of temperature Inversion
• 2nd

• A cool winter night, the

air above the cold
surface gets cool.
• But the air layer above
that cool layer is till
warmer. Then, by going
upward, air does not
get cooler but warmer
 Ex. Of temperature Inversion
• 3th
• Valley inversion
• winter – cool air
descends to valley
• Uplift the warm air
of valley
• Descending cool air-
damage crops- frost
 Implications of temperature inversion
Formation of fog Warm air cooled by cold air
below – condensation – tiny
water droplets- low visibility
Formation of frost Water moisture frozen with
contact cold surface- damage
to crops
Atmospheric stability Prevents upward or
downward movement of air-
Discourage rainfall
 Question
Q. What do you understand by
phenomenon of “temperature
inversion” in meteorology? How UPSC
does it affect weather and habitants
of the place? (5)

mains
2013
 Condensation of water droplets

Condensation of water Result

droplet
At heights Clouds
At lower level Fog
on the cold surface Dew drop
Turn into ice crystal in extreme Frost
cold conditions
 Reason for formation of fog
Advection Moving of warm air over cold
Radiation Winter nights – loss of heat
due to terrestial radiation –
cold surface. Moving of warm
air over cold surface
Ocean Meeting of cold and warm
current ocean currents
Decreasing level of visibility
 comparison
fog smog

❑ Water droplet ▪ Water droplet

condensed around a condensed around a
dust particle particle of pollutant,
❑ It reduces the like SO2
visibility, damage the ▪ Reduce visibility +
crops health hazard
 comparison
Smog Photochemical smog

❑ It occurs in cool ▪ It occurs in warm, dry

humid climate and sunny climate
❑ It is a mixture of ▪ Mixture unsaturated
smoke, fog and hydrocarbons and
nitrogen oxides (NO2)
sulphur dioxide (SO2). in presence of
sunlight
▪ Its components are
ozone, nitric oxide,
acrolein, and
Q. Photochemical smog is resultant Question
of reaction among
a) NO2, O3 and peroxyacetyl nitrate UPSC
in the presence of sunlight
b) CO2, O2 and peroxyacetyl nitrate
in the presence of sunlight
c) CO,CO2 and NO2 at low
temperature Prelims
d) High concentration of NO2, O3 2013
and CO in the evening
 Question
Photochemical smog:
NO2, Ozone + sunlight UPSC

Ans. A)

Prelims
2013
❑ Structure of atmosphere
❑ Vertical Movement of air
❑ Adiabatic lapse rate
❑ Temperature inversion and its effects
❑ fog
precipitation
Evaporation
1) High temperature
2) LP conditions
3) Fast moving wind
• Water vapour
evaporate from the
water body
• Evaporation adds
moisture in the air
 Humidity
Absolute Humidity Specific Humidity

❑ Weight of water ▪ Weight of water

vapour in unit volume vapour per unit
of moist air weight of dry air
 Precipitation
• Precipitation – when • Precipitation depends
air is saturated with upon temperature and
water vapour and any moisture content of
extra addition result in the air
precipitation
Relative Humidity: • Hot air – saturation
reach with more
• Amount of water
vapour present in air – moisture content than
to amount of water cold air
vapour required for
saturation
Types of clouds
 Types of rainfall
Convectional rainfall Orographic rainfall
 Types of rainfall
Cyclonic rainfall Frontal rainfall
 Pressure system of the world
❑ Entire earth is divided into 4 large pressure belts
❑ In reality, belts are not continuous but pockets
of low and high pressure.
❑ But pressure can be created through thermal or
dynamic reasons
❑ Thermal: high temperature=> LP, low
temperature => HP
❑ Dynamic: air rises => LP, air descends => HP
Pressure system of the world
• 4 belts:
• equatorial low
pressure belt
• sub-tropical high
pressure belt
• sub-polar low
pressure belt
• Polar High
pressure area
 Equatorial LP belt
• Constant insolation
• Air gets warm -LP
• Air move upward ->
cloud formation ->
instability -> rain in the
evening daily
• Cumulonimbus clouds
• Convectional rainfall
 Equatorial LP belt
• Absence of advection
of air
• Belt of calm / Doldrum
• Because light, feeble
winds - calm region
 Sub-tropical HP belt (STHP)
• The air above equator
move towards pole,
but coriolis force -
their path get
deflected.
• The length of path
increases. Their
energy reduced in mid-
path -cooled. air
subside near 30-40
deg latitude.
 Sub-tropical HP belt (STHP)
• As descending air – HP
• Dynamically induced HP
• Called ‘horse latitude’
 Sub-polar LP belt (SPLP)
• From the pole, cold
winds move towards
equator
• The both warm and
cold winds collide,
the warmer winds
from STHP rise
above the cold polar
winds
• This rising of warmer
wind near 50-60
degree create LP
 Polar high
• Air risen at SPLP,
descends at poles
• High pressure
conditions
• Thermally induced
Wind system of the world
Planetary winds
• winds blowing at the
same direction
throughout the year
• cover large distances.
• Horizontal movement,
Pressure belt system
provide them the
pressure gradient
• Corilis force modify
their direction
Trade winds
• The winds move
towards equatorial low
pressure = ITCZ
• ITCZ – inter tropical
convergence zone,
where wind converges
• Their direction is east
to west due to coriolis
force
Tropical deserts and trade winds
• Tropical easterlies
flows– east to
west
• Wind becomes dry
when they
reaches the
western coast of
the continents
• Off –shore trade
winds
• Trade wind deserts
Tropical desert and cold currents

• 2nd
• Cold currents
provide
desiccating effect
to trade wind
deserts
• Cold current flow
on western
margins of
continents
 Question
Q. Major hot deserts in northern
hemisphere are located between
20-30 degree North latitudes and on UPSC
the western side of the continents.
Why? (10)

Mains
2013
Westerlies
• From west to east
• From STHP to SPLP
Westerlies
• From west to east
• From STHP to SPLP
• Less landmass in
southern
hemisphere
• Fast flowing winds
in the open sea
• Roaring 40s,
furious 50s,
shrinking 60s and
screaming 70s
Q. Westerlies in southern Question
hemisphere are stronger and
persistent than northern UPSC
hemisphere. Why?
1. Southern hemisphere has less
landmass as compared to
northern hemisphere
2. Coriolis force is higher in Prelims
southern hemisphere as 2011
compared to northern
hemisphere
Ans. 1 is correct, 2 is wrong
Polar Easterlies

• From east to
west
• From poles to
SPLP
Apparent movement of the sun
Summer Winter
movement of the pressure system
Summer Winter
Wind system of the world
 Seasonal winds
• Monsoon winds:
seasonal reversal of
winds
• Feature of tropical
latitude
• In winter – trade
wind blows north to
south, in summer –
trade wind blows
south to north [but
in limited area]
 Monson winds
• Due to apparent
northward movement
of the sun in summer.
Thus, the ITCZ (LP)
also moves upward
• Thus, the area which
was under northern
trade winds in winter,
will come under
southern trade winds
in the summer
Wind system of the world
 Local winds : mountains winds
Cold wind Warm winds

country wind Mountains Wind

Greece Gragale Alps Fohn
Italy Tremonta Rockies Chinook
Adriatic bora Andes Zonda
sea
 Local winds : land
Cold wind: land Warm wind: desert

❑ HP condition in winter desert Winds

❑ Divergence of cold air Sahara Sirocco
❑ Siberia – Buran
Egypt Khamsin
❑ Canada - Blizzard
Libya Gibli
Gulf of Harmattan
Guinea
 Local winds: India
Pre-monsoon
summer
thunderstorm
❑ Hot-dusty wind = ‘loo’ states Wind
Bihar, WB, Kalbaishakhi
Assam
KN Blossom
shower
KR Mango
shower
Wind system of the world
Mountain breeze
• During night time:
top gets cooler than
valley = HP, valley =LP
• Wind move hill-top to
valley => mountain
breeze
• Agriculture –frost
bite, chill in
habitation in the
valley
Valley breeze
• During day time:
top gets warmer
than valley = LP,
valley = HP
• So wind moves
from valley to
the top =>
valley breeze
Wind system of the world
Land breezes

• Differential cooling
of land and water
• During night:
• land cooler =HP,
• water =LP
• Wind move land to
water => land breeze
Sea-breeze

• During day time:

• land gets warmer =>LP
, water =HP
• Wind move from water
to land => sea breeze
❑ Pressure belts of the world
❑ Planetary wind system
❑ Variable winds
❑ Seasonal, local winds
❑ Mountain- valley breeze
❑ Land-sea breeze
Upper tropospheric winds
• Around tropopause,
there is only one
gradient
• Wind accumulated
above equator and
rarified atmosphere
above poles
• HP at the equator and
LP at the poles
Geo-strophic winds
• strong coriolis force
at tropopause
• Because friction is
less - high speed -
stronger the coriolis
force
• So the deflection is
90 degree
• Such winds called
geo-strophic winds
 Westerlies winds
• The upper
tropospheric
winds / geo-
strophic
winds blow
from west to
east at the
very high
speed
Rossby waves
• Westerlies at poles –
to maintain the
angular momentum-
they meander =>
Rossby waves
• Rossby waves do not
meander
consistently, but
follow a cycle =
Index cycle
Jet streams

• In westerlies, there
are strong, narrow
bands of high
speed wind => Jet
stream
• Speed of Jet
stream 300kmph
Jet streams location
• There are situated
at the margins of
meridional cells
• 4 permanent Jet
streams: 2 Polar
Jet and 2 Sub-
Tropical Westerly
Jet STWJ
 Jet streams
Permanent jet stream Temporary jet stream
Jet streams
• Jet stream
embedded in
westerlies (Rossby
waves) at high
latitude, cause
pressure variability
• That’s why they are
called travelling
depression
Jet Stream – travelling depressions
 Weather of Mid and high latitude
❑ Weather of higher latitude is more complex than
weather of equatorial or tropical regions
❑ Because tropical and equatorial region are heat
surplus region– thermal reasons play the
dominant role.
❑ But higher latitude are heat deficit region –
dynamic reasons play dominant role
❑ These include – localised + upper-tropospheric
circulations (Rossby waves, Jet streams,
temperate cyclones)
Air mass
• Large extensive body of
air-mass (1000sqkm)
• Height upto Tropopause
• At particular height, one
air mass will have
uniform temperature and
moisture across its width
• Airmasses can be
differentiate according to
their temperature and
moisture content
Air mass
• Air mass acquired
properties from the
source regions – land,
marine, polar, arctic,
Antarctic = give them
identity. Ex. mP, cT
• Extensive
homogeneous surface
+ longer stay (HP)
Air masses
• Air masses do not stay
at their source regions
forever, they move out.
While moving they
came across other air
masses.
Front
• The relative difference
between temperature
and moisture decide
their interaction with
one another
• The border/ meeting
region of the two air-
mass => Front
Cold front
• If cold air mass move
faster than the other
than it will lift the
warmer one upward =>
cold front
• the slope will be
steep = there will be
sudden up-liftment of
the warm air =
cumulonimbus clouds
=frontal rainfall
Warm front
• If warmer air mass
is more active than
cold front => warm
front
• slope will be
gentler = there
won’t be sudden
up-liftment of warm
air = uniform
prolonged rain –
drizzle
Fronts
Frontal cyclone
• Also called as
extra-tropical
cyclone,
travelling
depressions,
cold-core cyclone,
wave cyclones
Meaning of cyclone
1) Intense LP system
2) Air converges
towards the centre
3) Closed isobars
4) In Northern
hemisphere
convergence – anti-
clockwise
 Isobar
Normal isobar Closed isobar
 Conditions for LP
Thermally induced Dynamically induced

❑ Because of high ▪ Upliftment of warm

temperature air
❑ Ex. LP at equator ▪ Ex. LP at sub-polar LP
❑ Convectional rainfall belt
at equator ▪ Frontal rainfall
Development of Frontal cyclone
• Movement of
airmasses from their
source region
• The warm and cold air
mass face each other
• A front is created
between them
• Called Stationary front
 Formative stage of frontal cyclone
Location of air
Circular movement
masses
Development of Frontal cyclone
• Cold air mass pushed
the warm air mass
• Forced upliftment of
warm air mass at the
cold front =LP
• Two cold air mass
convergence – circular
due to coriolis force
 Mature stage
Interaction of air
LP – closed isobars
masses
Occluded front
• One cold air mass
climb over other cold
air mass–warm front is
destroyed
• Called occluded front
• Rapid change in
temperature and
pressure
• Unstable weather
conditions
Dissipation of frontal cyclone
• Frontolysis – no
great
temperature
difference
between two
cold air masses
– front
dissipated – LP
reduced –
cyclone
dissipated
Stationary front Front
Occluded front Frontolysis
Path of the temperate cyclone

• Always west to east

direction
• Because influence of
the wetserlies
• Gradual movement-
Predictable weather
Distribution of temperate cyclones
Tropical cyclone
Hurricane –N. America
Typhoon - China
• Late summer
• Increased sea surface
temperature = LP
• Convergence of air
around LP zone
• Rising moist (wet) air
=> absolute instability
Tropical cyclone
• Cloud formation =more
and more moisture –
latent heat of
evaporation => cumulo
nimbus cloud =>
cyclone
• Coriolis force induce
spiral movement of air
Mature Tropical cyclone
• Intensification of LP
• Converging air near
water surface
• Circulating air rises
above (coriolis force)
• Diverging air at the
top of cyclone
Eye of the tropical cyclone
• At the centre of the
cyclone – ‘eye’ of the
tropical cyclone.
• It is a pressure defect.
Because, at ‘eye’ a
narrow stream of wind
descend = is HP at
‘eye’
• At the eye, there is
clear sky.
• Beyond eye wall –
extreme low pressure
Properties of tropical cyclones
• Move swiftly
• It is fuelled by
moisture – so when
cyclone is cut-off
from sea and move
towards land – it
starts weakening
Distribution of tropical cyclone
 comparison
Temperate cyclone Tropical cyclone

❑ 30-40 degree latitude ▪ 8-20 degree latitude

❑ Dynamically induced ▪ Thermally induced
❑ Due to frontal ▪ Due to increasing SST
interaction ▪ Small area
❑ Formed over large ▪ Move east to west
area
▪ Swift movement-
❑ Move west to east di cult to predict
❑ Gradual movement – path
 comparison
Temperate cyclone Tropical cyclone

❑ Wind speed 40-50 ▪ Wind speed >120

kmph kmph
❑ Pressure gradient ▪ Pressure gradient
980 mb <880 mb
❑ Powerful on land ▪ Weakens on land
❑ A ect mainland ▪ A ect only coastal
❑ More time to dissipate areas
▪ Quickly dissipate
after coming on land
 Question
Q. Tropical cyclones are largely
confined to South China Sea, Bay of
Bengal and Gulf of Mexico. Why? UPSC
(10)

Mains
2014
Reason for location of Tropical cyclone
1) Tropical water
2) Warm ocean
currents
3) Increase SST
in late summer
4) Tropical
cyclone move
east to west
5) Landmass on
western coast