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Westerlies in southern hemisphere are stronger and persistent than in northern hemisphere. Why?
1. Southern hemisphere has less landmass as compared to northern hemisphere.
2. Coriolis force is higher in southern hemisphere as compared to northern hemisphere.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
[2011]
  • a)
    1 only
  • b)
    2 only
  • c)
    Both 1 and 2
  • d)
    Neither 1 nor 2
Correct answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer?
Most Upvoted Answer
Westerlies in southern hemisphere are stronger and persistent than in ...
Explanation:

The statement "Westerlies in the southern hemisphere are stronger and persistent than in the northern hemisphere" can be explained by considering the two given statements.

1. Southern hemisphere has less landmass as compared to northern hemisphere:
The distribution of landmass can have an impact on the strength and persistence of the westerlies. Landmasses tend to disrupt and slow down the flow of air, leading to weaker and less persistent westerly winds. In the northern hemisphere, there are large landmasses like Eurasia and North America, which act as barriers to the westerly winds, resulting in their weakening and less persistence.

On the other hand, the southern hemisphere has a relatively smaller amount of landmass. The large Southern Ocean allows the westerlies to flow more freely and without significant disruptions. This leads to stronger and more persistent westerly winds in the southern hemisphere.

2. Coriolis force is higher in the southern hemisphere as compared to the northern hemisphere:
The Coriolis force is an effect caused by the rotation of the Earth and it influences the direction of wind patterns. In the southern hemisphere, the Coriolis force is stronger compared to the northern hemisphere due to the larger radius of the Earth near the equator. The Coriolis force deflects moving objects to the left in the southern hemisphere.

Stronger Coriolis force in the southern hemisphere causes the westerly winds to be deflected more to the south. This deflection enhances the strength and persistence of the westerlies as they are forced to remain closer to the Southern Ocean and not dissipate towards higher latitudes.

Conclusion:

Both the given statements are correct. The combination of a smaller landmass and stronger Coriolis force in the southern hemisphere contributes to the stronger and more persistent westerlies in comparison to the northern hemisphere.
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Community Answer
Westerlies in southern hemisphere are stronger and persistent than in ...
The speed of these winds are higher and persistence in southern hemisphere. The land mass in southern hemisphere is lesser in comparison to northern hemisphere.
As these winds crosses the landmass its velocity decreases.
Thus the effect of westerlies is less over northern hemisphere than in southern hemisphere.
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