Mumbai to London - 10:05
London to Mumbai - 08:45
Is this because of earth’s rotation?
Yes, indirectly. Area lit by the sun is heated, and unlit area cools, and this temperature difference causes global air currents, called the jet stream. Planes can ride this current to reduce flight time and fuel consumption between two points, or must fly upwind to go the other direction, which takes more time and energy.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jet_stream
The physical rotation of the earth only affects wind current on smaller scales, causing sub-continent-sized disturbances and swirls in the larger currents, which is where we get hurricanes.
Oh I always thought it was the rotation itself, great info!
Is this the same stream that makes Europe have a different temperature than North America?
Is this the same stream that makes Europe have a different temperature than North America?
That sounds like the Gulf stream which is a water current in the Atlantic Ocean. That’s a different “stream” than the jet stream.
In terms of climate? That’s more about where exactly the jet stream normally falls. It acts as a sort of air curtain between the cold polar air and the warm equatorial air, like the air curtains over a door to an air conditioned building. The exact path of the jet stream is affected by the strength of the polar and equatorial systems.
Also, if the climate gets really screwed up and the jet stream weakens or changes paths, places are gonna have to adapt to new climates real fuckin quick.
Flying against the wind when going west
