Final answer:
The Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) is subject to seasonal variations, moving with the sun's zenith point, and does not always coincide with the geographical equator. Its position changes, leading to wet and dry seasons in the tropics. The correct answer is c. It is subject to seasonal variations.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) is a belt of low pressure that circles the Earth generally near the equator where the trade winds of the Northern and Southern Hemispheres come together. The ITCZ is characterized by convective thunderstorms that form as warm moist air rises. This zone moves north and south of the equator following the sun's zenith point. Thus, the position of the ITCZ significantly changes over the year.
The ITCZ is not a static zone and does not always coincide with the geographic equator due to the axial tilt of the Earth and the seasonal shift of the Sun's direct rays. Rather, it varies with the apparent movement of the Sun, hovering around the Tropic of Cancer in the northern summer and the Tropic of Capricorn in the southern summer, creating wet and dry seasons in the tropics. Therefore, it can be inferred that while the ITCZ is associated with low pressure, heavy rains, and thunderstorms, it does not consistently coincide with areas of strong winds or the horse latitudes, which are at about 30 degrees north and south of the equator and characterized by calm winds and little precipitation. It also does not result from the convergence of a Hadley cell and a Ferrel cell, which occurs further from the equator around the mid-latitudes.