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UPSC Prelims 1980 · World Geography · Air, Winds and Climates
Doldrums refer to
- (a) A belt of calm and light variable winds near the equator
- (b) A particular area in the centre of the Pacific Ocean
- (c) The region of the upper atmosphere extending upward from the tropopause to about 20 kms above the earth
- (d) None of these
Show the answer and explanation
Answer: (a) A belt of calm and light variable winds near the equator
The doldrums are a belt of calm, light, variable winds near the equator.
The idea
At the equatorial convergence zone, much air movement is upward rather than steadily horizontal at the surface. Near-surface winds can therefore be light and variable. Sailors called this broad calm belt the doldrums. Calm surface conditions can coexist with towering clouds and heavy showers.
Trade winds approach from both hemispheres → Moist air converges → Strong heating supports ascent → Surface horizontal winds become light and variable → Clouds and convection can still be intense
Why the others are wrong
(c) That is the stratosphere.
Also know
The ITCZ migrates north and south with the seasons and need not sit exactly on the equator. Horse latitudes are calm subtropical highs with descending air, unlike the rising-air doldrums. A tropical cyclone’s eye is another calm region but belongs to a single storm. Doldrums describe a broad circulation belt, not one fixed Pacific location.
🔒 Doldrums = ITCZ.
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