Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article

To: norwaypinesavage

This is actually interesting but how is the wind going the opposite direction of the ground if the movement drags the air with it?


18 posted on 01/05/2018 6:46:20 AM PST by Aria
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies ]


To: Aria
"how is the wind going the opposite direction of the ground if the movement drags the air with it?"

Where the earth's surface is moving at a different speed than the air above it There will be shear force in the air where the surface trees, hills, bumps, etc. attempt to pull the air along with it. This shear will get less and less as altitude increases. So the surface tends to pull the air along with it, but the effect isn't instantaneous.

Let's say you're living at a latitude where the earth surface rotational speed is 800 mph, east to west, but the air at high altitude above it has a 1000 mph east to west speed. The air above you will appear to have a 200 mph west to east speed. It's a 200 mph west to east "jet stream".

As I said in the last paragraph, this is a simplistic explanation, but it is the actual reason the jet stream generally flows west to east.

30 posted on 01/05/2018 7:58:31 AM PST by norwaypinesavage (The stone age didn't end because we ran out of stones.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson