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Name: Bill M.
Status: student
Age:  20s
Location: N/A
Country: N/A
Date: 2000-2001
Question:
Do slowly rotating or rapidly rotating planets have more Hadley cells?

Replies:
Bill,

Technically, a Hadley cell is the one between about 5 and 30 degrees latitude that transports air southward near the surface and northward aloft. It is one of three cells between the equator and pole. The Hadley cell and the cell near the pole have similar circulations. The cell in the mid-latitudes transports air northward near the surface and southward aloft. The Hadley cell creates the trade winds in the tropics.

On a more rapidly rotating planet than Earth (but, let's say the same size), there may not be more Hadley cells around the tropics, but they would be more energetic, resulting in stronger winds and greater circulation of air. This may cause greater convection, stronger thunderstorms, etc.

David R. Cook
Atmospheric Research Section
Environmental Research Division
Argonne National Laboratory

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