How do atmospheric pressure zones and ocean currents affect the earths energy balance?

Answer 1

Solar heating of the Earth and its atmosphere drives the large-scale atmospheric circulation patterns, and even the seasons. The difference in solar heating between day and night also drives the strong diurnal (or daily) cycle of surface temperature over land. Most of the sun's heat is deposited into the tropics of the Earth. This is because the Earth's rotational axis is almost perpendicular to the plane of Earth's orbit around the sun. The polar latitudes receive on average much less solar heating than the equator.

Outside the tropics, annual receipts of solar radiation generally decrease with increasing latitude. Minimum values occur at the poles. This pattern is primarily the result of Earth- sun geometric relationships and its effect on the duration and intensity of solar radiation received.

In middle and high latitudes, insolation values over the ocean, as compared to those at the same latitude over the land, are generally higher. Greater cloudiness over land surfaces accounts for this variation.

Sensible heat flux is the process where heat energy is transferred from the Earth's surface to the atmosphere by conduction and convection. This energy is then moved from the tropics to the poles by advection, creating atmospheric circulation. As a result, atmospheric circulation moves warm tropical air to the polar regions and cold air from the poles to the equator. Latent heat flux moves energy globally when solid and liquid water is converted into vapor. This vapor is often moved by atmospheric circulation vertically and horizontally to cooler locations where it is condensed as rain or is deposited as snow releasing the heat energy stored within it. Finally, large quantities of radiation energy are transferred into the Earth's tropical oceans. The energy enters these water bodies at the surface when absorbed radiation is converted into heat energy. The warmed surface water is then transferred downward into the water column by conduction and convection. Horizontal transfer of this heat energy from the equator to the poles is accomplished by ocean currents.

Answer 2

Warm temp create area of low atmospheric pressure on the Earth's surface while area of high pressure r generated when temp r relatively cold. Once established, the thermal gradient then develops a flow of air that goes from high 2 low pressure