Skip to main content

Why are doldrums also called the Intertropical Convergence Zone?

The Doldrums are the regions of air directly above the Equator that extends about 10 degrees North and South. This region is characterized by having very little lateral movement of air and a large amount of precipitation. This is due to the fact that, as the Equator heats up year round, the air above is constantly being heated, creating a rising effect. Hotter air is less dense than colder air and is lifted up while...

The Doldrums are the regions of air directly above the Equator that extends about 10 degrees North and South. This region is characterized by having very little lateral movement of air and a large amount of precipitation. This is due to the fact that, as the Equator heats up year round, the air above is constantly being heated, creating a rising effect. Hotter air is less dense than colder air and is lifted up while colder air rushes in to take its place.


The rising hot air will blossom outward away from the equator, moving North and South before plummeting back down around the 23 degree N and S latitudes. The falling air then reverses direction and sweeps back towards the equator. These winds are called the Trade Winds and were used by early sailors to propel their sailing ships towards the New World and Caribbean. 


The Trade Winds collide in the center of the tropics, where the air re-heats and rises, beginning the process all over again. This giant Convection Cell, or Hadley Cell, gives us the rising hot air of the Doldrums, the falling cold air of the Horse Latitudes (23 degrees North and South) and the Trade Winds. The area where the Trade Winds meet is known as the ITCZ: Intertropical Convergence Zone. The name references the convergence of the North and South Trade Winds in the center of the Tropics which lie over the Equator. Intense storms and precipitation are normal for this region due to all of the rising hot air building large and heavy clouds. 


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Can you analyze the poem "Absolution" by Siegfried Sassoon?

Sure! Siegfried Sassoon fought in World War I and was wounded in battle; he spent much of his life speaking out against war, and these pacifist feelings are easy to see in his poems. This one, "Absolution," was published in 1917, the same year that Sassoon was hospitalized for what we know today as post-traumatic stress disorder. "Absolution" is a short poem that contains three stanzas of four lines each. The word "absolution" means "forgiveness," and... Sure! Siegfried Sassoon fought in World War I and was wounded in battle; he spent much of his life speaking out against war, and these pacifist feelings are easy to see in his poems. This one, "Absolution," was published in 1917, the same year that Sassoon was hospitalized for what we know today as post-traumatic stress disorder. "Absolution" is a short poem that contains three stanzas of four lines each. The word "absolution" means "forgiveness," and the v...
Post a Comment
Read more

How and why does James Gatz become Jay Gatsby? Describe the young Gatsby/Gatz.

James Gatz, a poor Midwestern boy of probable Jewish lineage, becomes Jay Gatsby, a presumed WASP and wealthy socialite, when he moves to New York City and acquires his fortune. It is wealth that has allowed Gatz to transform himself into Gatsby. However, those who know his background (e.g., Daisy and Tom Buchanan) never allow him to forget that he is nouveau riche -- that is, an upstart who has just recently made his fortune,... James Gatz, a poor Midwestern boy of probable Jewish lineage, becomes Jay Gatsby, a presumed WASP and wealthy socialite, when he moves to New York City and acquires his fortune. It is wealth that has allowed Gatz to transform himself into Gatsby. However, those who know his background (e.g., Daisy and Tom Buchanan) never allow him to forget that he is nouveau riche -- that is, an upstart who has just recently made his fortune, whereas they arose from well-to-do families. Gatz became Gatsby through determination and discipline. At the end of the novel, the narr...
Post a Comment
Read more

In chapter one of The Great Gatsby, what advice does Nick's father give him? How does this make him a good person to tell this story?

Nick says that his father advised him that, before "criticizing anyone," he "remember that all the people in this world haven't had the same advantages" as Nick.  As a result, Nick claims that he is "inclined to reserve all judgments," presenting himself to the reader as a fair and dispassionate arbiter of character, and thus, a reliable narrator.   The problem is that Nick immediately reveals himself as anything but reliable, as he then launches... Nick says that his father advised him that, before "criticizing anyone," he "remember that all the people in this world haven't had the same advantages" as Nick.  As a result, Nick claims that he is "inclined to reserve all judgments," presenting himself to the reader as a fair and dispassionate arbiter of character, and thus, a reliable narrator.   The problem is that Nick immediately reveals himself as anything but reliable, as he then launches into a discussion of how pe...
Post a Comment
Read more