General Circulation of the atmosphere:

  • represents "average air flow around the globe
  • is created by unequal heating at earth's surface

Recall:

  • On global scale, earth is in radiative equilibrium, energy in equals energy out
  • this is not true, however, at each latitude
  • general circulation's function is to transport heat pole ward

Q: So, what does the general circulation of the atmosphere look like anyway???