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Hadley cell facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Omega-500-july-era40-1979
Vertical velocity at 500 hPa, July average in units of pascals per second. Ascent (negative values) is concentrated close to the solar equator; descent (positive values) is more diffuse.

The Hadley cell, named after George Hadley, is a global scale tropical atmospheric circulation that features air rising near the Equator, flowing poleward at a height of 10 to 15 kilometers above the earth's surface, descending in the subtropics, and then returning equatorward near the surface. This circulation creates the trade winds, tropical rain-belts and hurricanes, subtropical deserts and the jet streams. Hadley cells are the low-altitude overturning circulation that have air sinking at roughly zero to 30 degree latitude.

Images for kids

  • MeanMonthlyP

    Long-term mean precipitation by month

  • The Earth seen from Apollo 17

    Cloud formations in a famous image of Earth from Apollo 17 makes atmospheric circulation directly visible

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Célula de Hadley para niños

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Hadley cell Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.