Changing frontiers

Researchers say that the warm temperature zone is expanding further.

Context

• Researchers say that the warm temperature zone is expanding further.

Is the tropical zone of Earth expanding?

• The planet Earth is divided into three climate zones: Tropical, temperate and frigid.
• The tropical zone extends around the equator from 23.5 degrees north to 23.5 degrees south.
• Now researchers say that this warm temperature zone is expanding further.

What are the consequences?

• This may be the reason behind severe droughts and bushfires in Australia and parts of the U.S.

What is causing this expansion?

• increasing greenhouse gases
• aerosols
• decreasing ozone may be the factors behind this expansion.
• warming oceans are the main reason.
• water currents

How the water currents are causing the shift?

• Large-scale ocean currents in both the northern and southern hemispheres are the key drivers.
• The currents in this region bring the water masses together particularly strongly, the subtropical ocean surface accumulates heat more easily here than in other marine regions.