The purpose of this assignment is to:
Apply learning from Chapter 3 to a new situation, an online visualization of the global atmosphere.
Develop written communication to demonstrate your mastery of concepts.
Gain an appreciation for the value of animated visualizations to understand complex concepts.
Knowledge: This assignment will help you become familiar with the following important content knowledge in physical geography:
Understanding cyclonic and anticyclonic flow around low and high pressure systems
The location and behavior of the polar jet stream and Rossby Waves
The location and characteristics of the ITCZ
Task: Use Chapter 3, especially 3.1 through 3.4, and this website: https://earth.nullschool.net
You should be able to apply the knowledge you learned from Chapter 3 about high and low pressure circulations systems (cyclonic and anticyclonic flow) to
the visualization.
If the interface of earth.nullschool.net is not intuitive or confusing, I will post a video early in the week explaining the assignment including how to use the
tool.
Answer the following questions in a Word document (.doc, .docx) or Rich Text File (.rtf); Google Docs and many other word processing programs will allow
you to save your work as Rich Text. When you are ready to upload your answers, click “Submit” then upload your file. Each question is worth up to 12 points
for a total of 48 points possible.
Question 1. Looking at the default view on earth.nullschool.net, which shows global surface winds, click and drag to rotate the globe a few times to observe
what’s going on. In several paragraphs, describe the kind of wind systems (high pressure anticyclonic / low pressure cyclonic) you observe as predominant
over Northern Hemisphere oceans this week. Make sure you explain how you are identifying them as high or low pressure wind systems based on their
circulation patterns as described in Chapter 3. Include references to specific pages, sections, or figures in Chapter 3 in your answer.
Question 2. Now click and drag the globe until the North Pole is centered in your screen.
Next, click “earth” on the bottom left side to open the menu.
Finally, click the different numbers to the right of the “Height” label. These are heights in hPa pressure, also known as millibar pressure, so 500 millibar is
about halfway up through the atmosphere’s density.
If you want to minimize the menu in between clicks, click on “earth” again.

Explain which millibar height best displays the subpolar jet stream (high winds circling just south of the north polar region)? Explain what you see. In a
separate paragraph, describe any Rossby Waves you observe and their location. Include references to specific pages, sections, or figures in Chapter 3 in your answer.
Question 3. Now click “earth” and Select Height>>Sfc
Next, select Overlay>>TPW for Total Precipitable Water
Finally, click “earth” again to minimize the menu.
Describe the ITCZ in terms of its location on the globe and related wind patterns you observe displayed here (NOT what the textbook says about the ITCZ,
what does earth.nullschool.net show you?!) A good answer will have at least a full paragraph clearly describing the location of the ITCZ on the globe and
another full paragraph describing the wind patterns related to it. Include references to specific pages, sections, or figures in Chapter 3 in your answer.
Question 4. Click and drag the view to Australia.
Select “Overlay>>Temp”
Select “Height>>Sfc”
Under “Control” go back to April 18th if it’s later in the week.
If you prefer Fahrenheit to Celsius, click on the “°C” button to change it to “°F”
Describe the temperature in Australia on April 18th (the “<<” button moves back 1 day and the “<” button moves back 3 hours). In one paragraph, describe
what areas are experiencing the highest temperatures and what those temperatures are. In a second paragraph, describe the effect of wind flow on the
temperatures–what areas are cooled by wind, especially as night falls? (click back or forward a few hours on “Control” to see this effect, it should be apparent
when it’s nighttime temperatures).

Sample Solution 

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