sure gradients near the equator typically increase with height in the troposphere. In order to maintain geostrophic balance, these gradients ultimately produce "thermal" or westerly winds (Grotjahn, 1993, pp. 4-7). The westerly winds are then counteracted by easterlies. Without these two opposed currents, the earth would experience a net surface torque. Lastly, general circulation is also subject to the requirement for mass conservation. Without a zonal average balance between both northerly and southerly current flows, a net build up or loss of mass could occur at specific locations.
Climate Modeling and Its Importance in Environmental Science
In recent decades, the desire to predict future climatic change has focused considerable attention on general circulation. Human activities and their effect on the environment have begun to affect the earth's weather. Elevated levels of atmospheric greenhouse gases, for instance, could potentially alter future weather patterns. Concerns over such phenomen
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