Jet streams are narrow bands of fast-flowing air in the upper troposphere. They form where large masses of cold polar air meet warm tropical air. This sharp temperature contrast creates a significant pressure difference, which, when combined with the Coriolis force from Earth’s rotation, accelerates the wind into a high-speed “river” of air that flows from west to east. ANSWER: (B) Large-scale temperature gradients and the Coriolis force
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The strength of the Jet Stream is directly proportional to the temperature difference between two air masses. The most powerful is the Polar Jet, located at the boundary of the Polar and Ferrel cells. Because the air is colder and denser to the north and warmer to the south, a steep pressure gradient is established. As air moves to equalize this pressure, the Coriolis effect deflects it, causing it to race eastward at speeds exceeding 200 mph. These winds are crucial for global aviation and act as a steering mechanism for surface weather systems and storms across the mid-latitudes.
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