What is the calm zone near the equator called?

What is the calm zone near the equator called?

Doldrums, also called equatorial calms, equatorial regions of light ocean currents and winds within the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ), a belt of converging winds and rising air encircling Earth near the Equator.

Are doldrums at the equator?

The Doldrums is an area of low pressure which generally sits just north of the equator and it’s an area renowned for very fickle wind wich can be completely windless over up to a 300 mile span.

Why is there no wind at the equator?

There’s science behind it. The effects of the Doldrums are caused by solar radiation from the sun, as sunlight beams down directly on area around the equator. This heating causes the air to warm and rise straight up rather than blow horizontally. The result is little or no wind, sometimes for weeks on end.

Is the ITCZ always at the equator?

The ITCZ tends to be located under and near where the sun’s rays are most direct. Thus, the ITCZ will be located north of the equator in the Northern Hemisphere summer and south of the equator in the Northern Hemisphere winter. However, the mean or average position of the ITCZ is located north of the equator.

How does the air at the equator move?

In the tropics, near the equator, warm air rises. Air that rose just north of the equator flows north. Air that rose just south of the equator flows south. When the air cools, it drops back to the ground, flows back towards the Equator, and warm again.

Why do sailors avoid the doldrums?

Because the air circulates in an upward direction, there is often little surface wind in the ITCZ. That is why sailors well know that the area can becalm sailing ships for weeks.

Can the ocean have no wind?

The Doldrums are regions of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans that have little if any wind. This was a particular problem for sailors in the past when they depended on the winds to propel their ships, a problem that could be potentially deadly.

What is on the equator?

The Equator passes through 13 countries: Ecuador, Colombia, Brazil, Sao Tome & Principe, Gabon, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, Kenya, Somalia, Maldives, Indonesia and Kiribati.

Where is the calmest place on Earth?

Antarctica
A file photo of Icy continent of Antartica. Scientists have discovered that the calmest place on Earth is on top of a vast icy plateau in Antarctica.

Why does air crossing the equator turn right?

Answer: The air that rises at the equator does not flow directly to the poles. Because of the rotation of the earth and the coriolis force, air is deflected to the right in the Northern Hemisphere.

Why do white band of clouds form near the equator?

Cloud free areas appear dark blue; moderate cloud cover appears light blue; and frequently overcast areas are coloured white. The cloud band near the equator is caused by large scale atmospheric circulation patterns known as Hadley cells which dominate the tropics.

In which months does it rain at the equator?

The rainfall varies locally with the wettest months of the year occurring from November to January and the driest period from June to July (Oldeman, 1978). The daily evapotranspiration rate on land (lower than 4.34 mm) can be slightly more than that on open waters (4.12–4.2 mm).

What is it called when it is near the equator?

When it lies near the geographic Equator, it is called the near-equatorial trough. Where the ITCZ is drawn into and merges with a monsoonial circulation, it is sometimes referred to as a monsoon trough, a usage that is more common in Australia and parts of Asia.

What happens when the ITCZ is north or south of the equator?

When the ITCZ is positioned north or south of the Equator, these directions change according to the Coriolis effect imparted by Earth’s rotation. For instance, when the ITCZ is situated north of the Equator, the southeast trade wind changes to a southwest wind as it crosses the Equator.

Where do the northeast and southeast trade winds converge?

Look up doldrums in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. The Intertropical Convergence Zone ( ITCZ ), known by sailors as the doldrums or the calms because of its monotonous, windless weather, is the area where the northeast and southeast trade winds converge.

Why is there little wind in the ITCZ?

The rising air mass finally subsides in what is known as the horse latitudes, where the air moves downward toward Earth’s surface. Because the air circulates in an upward direction, there is often little surface wind in the ITCZ. That is why sailors well know that the area can becalm sailing ships for weeks.