Consider the following statements: 1. Hadley cells are key to understanding the wind patterns of Earth. 2. Hadley cells are formed because the Equator is heated more strongly by the Sun than other places, creating thermal circulations. With regard to the statements given above, which of the following is correct?

Hadley cells are fundamental components of the Earth's general atmospheric circulation, playing a critical role in establishing global wind patterns [3]. These cells are thermal in origin, driven by the differential heating of the Earth's surface [4]. Because the Equator receives more direct solar radiation than higher latitudes, the air there is intensely heated, becomes less dense, and rises, creating a low-pressure zone [6]. This rising air diverges poleward in the upper troposphere before sinking at approximately 30° N/S latitudes, eventually returning to the Equator as surface trade winds [6]. This continuous thermal circulation loop, initiated by equatorial solar heating, directly explains why Hadley cells exist and how they dictate the primary wind systems of the tropics, such as the easterly trade winds [1].

Sources

1. [1] Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 23: Pressure Systems and Wind System > Hadley Cell > p. 317
2. [4] FUNDAMENTALS OF PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY, Geography Class XI (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 9: Atmospheric Circulation and Weather Systems > General circulation of the atmosphere > p. 79
3. [5] https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/earth-and-planetary-sciences/hadley-cell
4. [6] https://sealevel.jpl.nasa.gov/ocean-observation/understanding-climate/the-earth/
5. [2] Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 27: Jet streams > Geostrophic Wind > p. 385