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equatorial air mass

meteorology
Also known as: Tropical continental air mass, cT, continental Tropical air mass(Show More)

Quick Summary

In meteorology, an air mass is a large body of air with consistent temperature and humidity. Equatorial air masses are characterized as warm and very moist. These air masses form in regions of intense solar heating, leading to vigorous convection and the formation of cumulonimbus clouds. This process transports heat and moisture to the upper troposphere.12

The equatorial trough, an area of low atmospheric pressure at the surface, corresponds to these areas of convection. The air that rises here diverges towards the poles in the upper troposphere. As this air descends around 30 degrees latitude, it creates subtropical high-pressure regions, often associated with arid deserts. The convergence of northeast and southeast trade winds in the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) fuels the convection that defines equatorial air masses.2

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