In this article you will learn:
roles and effects of the winds – what is the wind – how does iot get formed – wind rose - winds in the world – what we and the wind have in common
To the 4 winds.... well given such a name to this blog, I would say that a quick post about winds is mandatory!
Our idea of using such a name refers to how we want to divulge some information we detain...but if you think a bit about it, how much do we know about winds?!
Wind is that natural element that can be calming (on a terrace in summer?!), annoying (in Ireland!! haha), longed for (in Bologna in August), frightening (tornados): the wind strongly affects our lives and how populations developed in the course of history!
In human civilization, wind has inspired mythology, influenced the events of history, expanded the range of transport and warfare, and provided a power source for mechanical work, electricity, and recreation (windsurfing!!). Wind has powered the voyages of sailing ships across Earth's oceans: enabling different parts of the world to get in touch with each other was the grand grand father layer of globalisation.
But what is the wind and how the hell can be created?!
Wind is the flow of gases on a large scale (fart is the little brother looool). On Earth, wind consists of the bulk movement of air. But in outer space, solar wind is the movement of gases or charged particles from the sun through space, while let's not think small...think BIG guys!! We are just tiny little meaningless creatures in our galaxy... in fact also “out there” we got planetary wind! It is the outgassing of light chemical elements from a planet's atmosphere into space...practically the next step of globalisation....chemical universalisation! lol
And now the reasons for a wind to exist... Globally, the two major driving factors of large scale winds are the differential heating between the equator and the poles (difference in absorption of solar energy) and the rotation of the planet.
When a difference in pressure exists, the air is accelerated from higher to lower pressure. On a rotating planet the air will be deflected by the Coriolis effect, except exactly on the equator.
A quick note about our blog's symbol - the wind rose - is necessary I think. The wind rose is the schematic rapresentation of the 4 cardinal points, but much more interesting is the fact that in its early rapresentations was placed in the middle of the Ionian sea or on Malta so that it became the reference point to indicate the origin of the winds. For example, ships coming from North East were coming from Greeceland.
And now let's take a closer look at few winds of the world:
Bentu de Soli An east wind on the coast of Sardinia.
Bora A cold, northerly wind blowing from the Hungarian basin into the Adriatic Sea.
Brickfielder: A wind from the desert in Southern Australia
Harmattan The dry, dusty trade wind blowing off the Sahara Desert across the Gulf of Guinea and the Cape Verde Islands. Sometimes called the DOCTOR, because of its supposed healthful properties.
Kona Storm A storm over the Hawaiian Islands, characterized by strong southerly or southwesterly winds and heavy rains
Maestro A northwesterly wind with fine weather which blows, especially in summer, in the Adriatic. It is most frequent on the western shore. This wind is also found on the coasts of Corsica and Sardinia.
Santa Ana A strong, hot, dry wind blowing out into San Pedro Channel from the southern California desert through Santa Ana Pass.
Tramontana A northeasterly or northerly winter wind off the west coast of Italy. It is a fresh wind of the fine weather mistral type.
Typhoon A severe tropical storm (i.e., winds >64 knots) in the Western Pacific. The word is believed to originate from the Chinese word "ty-fung" meaning big wind.
Juicy information, don't you find?
And not to forget of course the role of the wind as seed disperser.... a little bit what we are trying to achieve with this blog...assign the information to “Aiquattroventi” and let it come to you...although not through the wind but the internet! :-P
Nice post Aeolus. Wait a moment, is windy here…just let me close the window…lol
ReplyDeleteDone, there we go.
Of course you are knowledgeable about winds; you are Aeolus, ruler of the winds c’moooooooonn!!! By the way, what about your father? Hippotes? It has been long time since I last spoke to him.
Thank you for providing to us some information more about your family. Do you remember when you gave Odysseus a tightly closed bag full of the captured winds so he could sail easily home to Ithaca on the gentle West Wind? Good old times my friend, good old times.
You are right: how much do we know about winds? Nothing. People usually talk about winds as they talk about politics: too much and with no info lol
Maestro, Tramontana and Typhoon are the only winds of your list I “recognized”.
I still remember asking to my mother why the sky was red. I was no more than 6 or 7 years old and every year around September I think, I was use to ask to her: “Look mummy, the sky is red and…is raining…sand!!” My mother, always replied (with a Mafioso Sicilian accent ) : “ Is the Tramontana son…is the Tramontana…”
By the way that’s true, winds are always around us, physically and metaphorically speaking:
“Gone with the wind” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gone_with_the_wind
“Volare” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volare_(song)
Common sayings like “to the 4 winds”, for instance.:-)
“Candle in the wind” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Candle_in_the_Wind
Quotes: A great wind is blowing, and that gives you either imagination or a headache.