Which phenomenon initiates the descent of dry anticyclonic air in Hadley cells near 30 degrees latitude?

💡 Explanation

When air ascends at the equator, it rises and cools through adiabatic expansion, then flows poleward at high altitude, experiencing radiative cooling because the air radiates heat into space, initiating its descent near 30 degrees latitude. Therefore radiative cooling is the principle factor, rather than latent heat release, Ekman transport, or convergent surface winds which occur in different locations and are driven by separate mechanisms.

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