What Earth systems are responsible for moving heat energy from the equator to the poles and heat transported away from the equator?
The ocean and atmosphere are connected. They work together to move heat and fresh water across the globe. Wind-driven and ocean-current circulations move warm water toward the poles and colder water toward the equator. The atmosphere redistributes annually as much heat from the tropics to the poles as would be produced by five million of the world's biggest power stations, generating 1,000 megawatts each.
The transfer of heat from the equator to the poles occurs via winds - 80% (large scale to small scale) and ocean currents (20%). Exist to stop the atmosphere from cooling and the Earth's surface from overheating. They occur via conduction, convection, latent heat transfers and radiation. This heat is absorbed by the tropical waters of the Pacific and Indian oceans as well as of the Atlantic and is then transferred to the high latitudes, where it is finally given up to the atmosphere. The Earth receives the most solar radiation at the Equator and the least solar radiation at the Poles. Therefore, the warm temperatures experienced at the Equator are due to the intense solar radiation that is experienced year round relative to the Poles. Because of the curvature of the Earth, the same amount of sunlight will be spread out over a larger area at the poles compared to the equator. The equator therefore receives more intense sunlight, and a greater amount of heat per unit of area (By Thebiologyprimer (Own work) [CC0], via Wikimedia Commons). The ocean and atmosphere are connected. They work together to move heat and fresh water across the globe. Wind-driven and ocean-current circulations move warm water toward the poles and colder water toward the equator. The atmosphere and oceans help to even out the planet's temperatures by moving vast amounts of solar heat from the equator toward both poles, primarily during winter in each hemisphere. The Sun doesn't heat the Earth evenly. Because the Earth is a sphere, the Sun heats equatorial regions more than Polar Regions. The atmosphere and ocean work non-stop to even out solar heating imbalances through evaporation of surface water, convection, rainfall, winds, and ocean circulation. Outside storm systems, the impact of the Coriolis Effect helps define regular wind patterns around the globe. As warm air rises near the Equator, for instance, it flows toward the poles. In the Northern Hemisphere, these warm air currents are deflected to the right (east) as they move northward.
The power of Earth's spin to turn flowing air is known as the Coriolis Effect. If the Earth didn't spin, there would be just one large convection cell between the equator and the North Pole and one large convection cell between the equator and the South Pole. The Sun's rays strike Earth's surface most directly at the Equator. Near the poles, the Sun's rays strike the surface at a slant. This spreads the rays over a wide area. The more focused the rays are, the more energy an area receives. Heat transfers through space and Earth's physical systems by conduction, convection, advection, and radiation. Ocean currents act as conveyor-like circulations which help distribute heat away from the equator and nearer the poles. However, these currents are affected by convection due to the influence of ocean temperature and salinity (concentration of salt within the water) on density. “The ocean and atmosphere are connected. They work together to move heat and fresh water across the globe. Wind-driven and ocean-current circulations move warm water toward the poles and colder water toward the equator. During the day, sunlight heats the ground, which in turn heats the air directly above it via conduction. At night, the ground cools and the heat flows from the warmer air directly above to the cooler ground via conduction. Surplus energy at low latitudes and a deficit at high latitudes results in energy transfer from the equator to the poles. It is this meridional transport of energy that causes atmospheric and oceanic circulation. If there were no energy transfer the poles would be 25° Celsius cooler, and the equator 14° Celsius warmer. As air is warmed at the equator it becomes less dense and rises, while at the poles the cold air is denser and sinks. If the Earth was non-rotating, the warm air rising at the equator would reach the upper atmosphere and begin moving horizontally towards the poles.Winds and ocean currents play a major role in moving the surplus heat from the equatorial regions to the Polar Regions. Without this heat transfer, the polar regions of Earth would get colder every year and regions between ~ 35 N and 35 S would get warmer every year. The excess heating at the equator is transported poleward by rising warm air, which is replaced by cold sinking polar air moving equator ward. This circulation is known as the Hadley cell. The Hadley cell is known as a thermally direct circulation because in it, warm air is rising and cold air is sinking.
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