Does Atmospheric Viscous Drag Affect Upper Atmosphere Rotation and Air Movement?

[the4thamigo_uk]

I guess the Earth's surface pulls around the lower atmosphere with viscous drag effects? What about the upper atmosphere? Does it rotate with a slower absolute tangential velocity? If so, is there any pressure difference that caused by the difference in velocities that would cause any significant movement of air towards the Earth (i.e. bernoulli effect).

 

[russ_watters]

Based-on Newton's 1st law, no force is required to keep the atmosphere rotating with the earth.

 

[rcgldr]

There are "easterlies" (trade winds) that flow in the direction of the Earth's rotation, or "westerlies" that flow opposite, depending on the distance from the equator.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trade_wind

 

[russ_watters]

Those are caused by the coriolis effect acting on vertical convection.

 

[PJC01]

Atmospheric viscous drag is the force that opposes the motion of an object through a fluid, in this case, the Earth's atmosphere. This drag is caused by the interaction between the object and the molecules of the fluid. In the case of the Earth, the surface does indeed pull the lower atmosphere with viscous drag effects. However, the upper atmosphere is also affected by this drag, although to a lesser extent due to its lower density.

The rotation of the Earth does indeed result in a difference in tangential velocity between the lower and upper atmosphere. This is known as the Coriolis effect and it causes the upper atmosphere to rotate with a slower absolute tangential velocity compared to the lower atmosphere. This difference in velocities can lead to pressure differences, which in turn can cause air to move towards the Earth's surface. This is known as the Bernoulli effect.

However, it is important to note that this movement of air towards the Earth's surface is not solely caused by the difference in velocities. Other factors such as temperature, humidity, and air pressure also play a role in the movement of air in the atmosphere. Additionally, the Earth's rotation and the Coriolis effect also play a significant role in the movement of air masses in the atmosphere.

In summary, atmospheric viscous drag is an important force that affects the movement of air in the Earth's atmosphere. It is caused by the interaction between the Earth's surface and the molecules of the atmosphere. The rotation of the Earth does result in a difference in velocities between the lower and upper atmosphere, which can lead to pressure differences and the movement of air towards the Earth's surface. However, other factors and forces also play a significant role in the overall dynamics of the Earth's atmosphere.