Air masses and their influence on the planet's climate

The planet's gas envelope, called the atmosphere, plays a key role in the formation of ecological systems and the creation of climatic conditions. It also performs a very important protective function, protecting the Earth from the effects of various solar radiation and from attacks by small space bodies that simply burn in its dense layers without reaching the surface. The atmosphere is a very dynamic and heterogeneous gas structure. Forming in its depths large air masses, have a direct and determining influence on the climatic regime of both the separate regions of the globe and the whole planet.

The huge volumes of air formed in the tropospheric layers (the lower part of the atmosphere) are quite comparable in size to the continents or oceans. These colossal formations are the cradle of the most powerful cyclones, a tornado of tremendous destructive force and tornadoes. The movement of air masses from one region of the globe to another determines the climatic regime and weather conditions in these territories. And often they carry natural disasters.

Each such gigantic mass of air, having the same properties (degree of transparency, temperature, humidity level, dust content and other foreign inclusions), acquires the qualities and characteristics of the region over which it was formed. Moving towards other regions, air masses not only change their weather regime, but also gradually transform themselves, acquiring climatic features that are typical for these areas.

A striking illustration of this dynamism of the atmosphere can serve as the air masses of Russia, which, during their circulation in the vast expanses of the country through several climatic zones, manage to repeatedly completely change their properties. Over half of the Russian territory is affected by air masses formed over the Atlantic. They bring the bulk of the precipitation to the European part of the country, and in the Siberian regions warm Mediterranean cyclones largely soften the winter cold.

In a complex process of general atmospheric circulation, air masses of various types have a clear and close interconnection. Thus, the masses of air formed above the cold sections of the earth's surface, colliding with warmer fronts, mix with them and, thereby, form a new atmospheric front with completely different characteristics. This effect is especially strong in the temperate climatic zone when cold arctic air invades it.

Mixing with warm Atlantic atmospheric fronts, they form new air masses, which, in addition to cooling, carry cumulus clouds and burst with heavy rain storms. Sometimes such cold atmospheric fronts, passing through the territory of Russia and not encountering warm air masses, reach the southern regions of the European continent. But in most cases they are still detained by the spurs of the Alpine mountains.

But in Asia, there is often a free movement of Arctic air in vast areas right up to the mountain chains of southern Siberia. What caused a fairly cold climate in these regions.