Anticyclone

In meteorology, an anticyclone (that is, opposite to a cyclone) is a weather

phenomenon in which there is a descending movement of the air and a high pressure
area over the part of the planet's surface affected by it. Anticyclonic flow spirals in a
clockwise direction in the Northern Hemisphere and counter-clockwise in the
Southern Hemisphere.

Terminology
Confusion may be created by the fact that the term subtropical anticyclone is used by
meteorologists in Australia in place of extratropical anticyclone, which not only is the
term used in the United States but is also a good phase for biology methods in the
United Kingdom Except for the wording, there is no difference; there are no separate
or different types of warm dry air anticyclones being generated by the Intertropical
Convergence Zone. Both extratropical cyclones and subtropical anticyclones are seen
in the Northern Hemisphere, year-round. For an example of the Australian term, see:
Equatorial trough

Origin
The notable scientist Sir Francis Galton proposed the existence of the anticyclone as a
part of his work in weather and writing Meteorographica, or Methods of Mapping the
Weather (1863). Galton's anticyclone hypothesis was eventually confirmed with the
discovery of the anticyclone, which enabled meteorologists to draw the modern
weather map.[citation needed] Early versions of surface weather analysis charts produced
prior to 1863 depicted cyclones, but not anticyclones.

Formation
All anticyclones are produced by dry air that settles to the surface of the earth and
accumulates, forming air masses. The absence of aqueous vapor (water vapor)
increases the density of air which means that each volumetric unit of dry air weighs
more than the same volumetric unit of humid air at the same temperature and
pressure. The two most common parts of the air are nitrogen (roughly 78% of the
total) and oxygen (roughly 21% of the total). Together, the two components weigh
more than 99% of the total weight of the atmosphere. When air takes on aqueous
vapor (water vapor), vapor pressure displaces some of the heavier nitrogen and
oxygen, thus, a mixture that is lighter in weight overall is created. Displacement by
vapor pressure produces intense tropical storms called hurricanes or typhoons.

Anticyclogenesis
Cool or cold dry air type
Cool or cold dry air settles onto land and forms shallow anticyclones or high-pressure
cells which often move across the terrain and create fair weather with little cloudiness
or precipitation, then dissipate and vanish after reaching the open sea. The types of
anticyclones display different patterns of movement.
High-latitudes maritime type
In the months of winter, many strong cyclones appear at high latitudes. Rising air in
them eventually descends to form anticyclones. Tall anticyclones appear at some
places each year during the coldest months. They may exceed 35,000 feet or 10,200
meters in height. The position of each anticyclone is at about the same place on the
surface as is the air far above the surface. The sea-level pressure may exceed 1040
millibars (hectopascals) (hPa) (SI). They tend to linger close to the place at which
they appeared.
The Denmark Strait along the east coast of Greenland is a place where they often
appear, particularly during the winter. They form part of the North Atlantic Oscillation
that significantly influences the weather in that region of the Northern Hemisphere.
The Beaufort Sea is an arm of the Arctic Ocean that exists north of northwestern
Canada. An anticyclone called the Arctic High or the Beaufort High forms there.
NSIDC
Warm, dry air type
An anticyclone composed of warm dry air may be situated over much of the North
Atlantic Ocean during most of the year. The warm dry air type of anticyclone is tall
and may be observed on weather charts above three miles (5 km) in height. The warm
dry air type of anticyclone is usually described as being semipermanent. Frontal
activity is not associated with it. Transoceanic in extent, in Europe it is called the
Azores High, and in the United States it is known by the name Bermuda High.
Since it has a tropical origin, its most proper name is extratropical anticyclone (but
see "Terminology", above). It has a characteristic "vertical displacement" that shifts
its center away from its surface position towards the equator and westward. Far above
the surface of the North Atlantic at a height of 34 miles (57 km), the center of the
high-pressure cell may be seen about 3,000 miles (5,000 km) southwestwards of its
surface position (which is in the general vicinity of the Azores Islands).
The maximum sea-level pressure in this type of anticyclone is not very high. It may
reach, perhaps, 1025 millibars (hectopascals) or thereabouts during the summertime,
which is a mere twelve millibars above the average sea-level pressure of 1013
millibars.

Similar anticyclones that are built of warm dry air exist over other oceanic areas of
the world, such as the South Atlantic Ocean. The anticyclone that is located there is
practically a mirror-image of the anticyclone that is located over the North Atlantic
Ocean. Its vertical displacement is also towards the equator and westward. The warm
dry air is continually being produced in the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) by
thunderstorms.

Structure
At the surface the air tends to flow outwards in all directions from the central area of
high pressure, and is deflected on account of the Earth's rotation (see Coriolis effect)
so as to give a spiral movement. In the northern hemisphere an anticyclone rotates in
the clockwise direction, while it rotates counterclockwise in the southern hemisphere.
The rotation is caused by the movement of colder higher pressure air that is moving
away from the poles towards the equator being affected by the rotation of the earth.
Since the air in an anticyclone is descending, it becomes warmed and dried, and
therefore transmits radiation freely whether from the sun to the earth or from the earth
into space.
Anticyclones generally bring fair weather and clear skies as the dynamics of an
anticyclone lead to downward vertical movement which suppresses convective
activity and generally lowers the mean relative humidity, in contrast to the upward
vertical movement in a cyclone. However as the anticyclone moves over the Earth's
surface it may heat up locally, acquire water from the land or oceans or encounter
warmer wet air.

Effects
In winter the anticyclonic weather is characterized by clear air with periods of frost,
causing fogs in towns and low-lying damp areas, and in summer by still cloudless
days with gentle variable winds and fine weather. The low, sharp inversion can lead to
areas of persistent stratocumulus or stratus cloud, colloquially known as anticyclonic
gloom. The type of weather brought about by an anticyclone depends on its origin.
For example, extensions of the Azores high pressure may bring about anticyclonic
gloom during the winter, as they are warmed at the base and will trap moisture as they
move over the warmer oceans. High pressures that build to the north and extend
southwards will often bring clear weather. This is due to being cooled at the base (as
opposed to warmed) which helps prevent clouds from forming.
Local geography may cause a range of localized weather phenomena specific to
anticyclones, while the interaction of the different air masses, which occurs at weather
fronts, may cause a range of weather events.

Front froid
Le front froid, va soulever la couche d'air chaude, l'air en se
refroidissant va rendre visible les particules d'air qui condensent et...
vont former un nuage.

Front chaud
Le front chaud va glisser sur la couche d'air froide, l'air en se
refroidissant va ... et je pense que vous avez compris.