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HORIZONTAL CONVERGENCE [5 records]

Record 1 2026-01-08

English

Subject field(s)
  • Meteorology
DEF

A katabatic wind, it is formed at night by the radiational cooling along mountainsides.

CONT

... at night the air in contact with the mountain is cooler than farther from the land mass and so the cooler air sinks along the slope producing the mountain breeze.

CONT

mountain breeze ... As the slopes become colder than the surrounding atmosphere, the lower levels of air cool and drain to the lowest point of the terrain. It may reach several hundred feet in depth, and extreme cases, attain speeds of 50 knots or greater. It blows in the opposite direction of a valley breeze.

CONT

During the night, the air along the mountain slopes begins to cool quickly because of longwave radiation loss... As the air cools, it becomes more dense and begins to flow downslope causing a mountain breeze. Convergence of the draining air occurs at the valley floor and forces the air to move vertically upward. The upward movement is usually limited by the presence of a temperature inversion which forces the air to begin moving horizontally. This horizontal movement completes the circulation cell system. In narrowing terrain, mountain winds can accelerate in speed because of the venturi effect. Such winds can attain speeds as high has 150 kilometers per hour.

French

Domaine(s)
  • Météorologie
DEF

Vent catabatique soufflant la nuit et aux premières heures après le lever du Soleil, le long des pentes, des montagnes vers les vallées ou les plaines.

CONT

Brise de pente [...] De nuit [...] l'air se refroidit au contact du sol et a tendance à descendre le long des pentes vers le fond de la vallée où s'instaure un courant général vers le bas de la vallée, c'est la brise d'amont.

Spanish

Campo(s) temático(s)
  • Meteorología
DEF

Corriente de aire que desciende a lo largo de una ladera o cauce por efecto de la gravedad, cuando su densidad es mayor que la de las capas de aire contiguas situadas al mismo nivel.

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Record 2 2015-03-12

English

Subject field(s)
  • Meteorology
DEF

Line along which the horizontal convergence is a maximum.

Key term(s)
  • asymptote of convergence

French

Domaine(s)
  • Météorologie
DEF

Ligne le long de laquelle la convergence horizontale est maximale.

Key term(s)
  • asymptote de convergence

Spanish

Campo(s) temático(s)
  • Meteorología
DEF

Línea a lo largo de la cual la convergencia horizontal es máxima.

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Record 3 2009-02-17

English

Subject field(s)
  • Climatology
DEF

The depletion of air in a layer or region of the atmosphere due to outflowing winds.

CONT

Simply stated, convergence is defined as the increase of mass within a given layer of the atmosphere, while divergence is the decrease of mass within a given layer of the atmosphere.... Divergence. Winds in this situation produce a net flow of air outward from the layer. We associate this type of divergence with high-pressure cells, where the flow of air is directed outward from the center, causing a downward motion. Divergence, too, is classified as either horizontal or vertical.

French

Domaine(s)
  • Climatologie
DEF

Écoulement net de l'air vers l'extérieur, par suite de son éloignement, à l'horizontale, par rapport à une région donnée.

CONT

La divergence des lignes de flux dans le sens horizontal. Au sol, ce processus détermine la subsidence des masses d'air supérieures.

OBS

La divergence dans les basses couches entraîne la convergence en altitude. Quand la divergence s'opère en altitude, il y a ascendance au-dessous.

Spanish

Campo(s) temático(s)
  • Climatología
Save record 3

Record 4 2003-07-16

English

Subject field(s)
  • Meteorology
  • Scientific Measurements and Analyses
  • Analytical Functions (Math.)
DEF

The expansion or spreading out of a vector field. Scalar quantity defined in certain conditions ...

CONT

Divergence... usually said of horizontal winds. It is the opposite of convergence. Divergence at upper levels of the atmosphere enhances upward motion, and hence the potential for thunderstorm development(if other factors also are favorable).

PHR

Horizontal divergence.

French

Domaine(s)
  • Météorologie
  • Mesures et analyse (Sciences)
  • Fonctions mathématiques analytiques
DEF

Expansion ou étalement d'un champ de vecteurs. Grandeur scalaire définie [...]

OBS

Souvent utilisé pour le champ de vecteur vent.

PHR

Divergence horizontale.

Spanish

Campo(s) temático(s)
  • Meteorología
  • Medición y análisis (Ciencias)
  • Funciones matemáticas analíticas
DEF

Expansión o extensión de un campo vectorial. Magnitud escalar definida [...]

PHR

Divergencia horizontal.

Save record 4

Record 5 1977-01-25

English

Subject field(s)
  • Geomorphology and Geomorphogeny
OBS

Wind fields may act to concentrate the inflow of air into a particular area, such as a low pressure area at the earth’s surface, thereby forcing the air to rise. In so doing the air is cooled by expansion.

French

Domaine(s)
  • Géomorphologie et géomorphogénie
OBS

Les vents peuvent concentrer les masses d'air en un lieu donné telle une zone de basse pression à la surface de la terre forçant alors l'air à s'élever. Ainsi l'air se refroidit par expansion.

Spanish

Save record 5

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