This simulator shows the three idealized circulation cells in each hemisphere on a rotating Earth. Set a diagnostic latitude, see which cell it falls in and what the Coriolis parameter is there, and scale the strength of the illustrated circulation.
• A real-time 3D scene with 5 inspectable parts (Idealized rotating Earth, Hadley cells, Ferrel cells, Polar cells and Latitude and rotation reference), with home view, focus-selected-part, auto-rotate, expand, instrument-cover and hide-labels scene tools, plus a model response curve beneath the scene. • Experiment controls: Diagnostic latitude (-90-90 °); Illustrative circulation strength (0.25-2); show pressure and latitude belts; show explanatory motion markers; pause/resume, 0.1 s and 1 s single-step buttons, four playback speeds and a restart button. • A Curves & measurements tab with a parameter-comparison chart, a live-measurements chart, the model equations and snapshot readouts (Diagnostic latitude; Coriolis parameter; Cell code: Hadley1/Ferrel2/Polar3; Visual circulation multiplier). • An Experiments tab with 2 guided presets (equator and southern midlatitudes) and a Model verification bench that runs independent fresh models, plus a timestamped event log and a copyable trial report. • A Learn & assess tab with guided lessons, a knowledge-check quiz with reset and a written model-scope statement linking to a technical reference.
The idealized cell boundaries are at 0, 30, 60 and 90 degrees latitude: a Hadley cell from the equator to 30, a Ferrel cell from 30 to 60 and a polar cell from 60 to 90, in both hemispheres. The Coriolis parameter is f = 2 Omega sin(latitude) with Omega = 7.2921159 x 10^-5 per second, reported in units of 10^-4 per second, along with a cell code for the diagnostic latitude.
Because the sine of latitude changes sign, f changes sign across the equator.
Rising branches and sinking branches are drawn along prescribed paths, and pressure and latitude belts can be shown or hidden. The Ferrel cell is not a simple heating-driven cell; its mean circulation is maintained by eddies, which makes it dynamically indirect.
The lab is a qualitative zonal-mean schematic: cell geometry and visual speed are not predicted from heating, the strength slider scales the illustration only, and there is no pressure-gradient or climate solver, seasonal migration or weather systems.
No. Its mean circulation is maintained by eddies and is dynamically indirect, unlike the thermally direct Hadley cell.
It changes sign and is zero at the equator, because it equals 2 Omega times the sine of latitude. The equator experiment demonstrates this.
Idealized latitudes of 0, 30, 60 and 90 degrees separating the Hadley, Ferrel and polar cells. Real boundaries shift with season and weather.
No. It scales the visual illustration only. Cell geometry and speeds are prescribed, and the lab contains no climate or pressure-gradient solver.