The trade winds are prevailing winds that blow consistently in specific directions in various parts of the Earth. Convention (convection) is indeed a fundamental reason behind the trade winds.
Here's how it works:
Solar Heating: The Sun heats the Earth unevenly. Equatorial regions receive more direct sunlight and thus become much warmer than the polar regions.
Differential Heating: As the equatorial regions heat up, the air at the surface also becomes warmer. Warm air is less dense and rises, creating a low-pressure area near the equator.
Air Movement: To fill the void left by the rising warm air, cooler, denser air from the surrounding regions rushes in. These are the trade winds. They blow from subtropical high-pressure areas towards the low-pressure area near the equator.
Coriolis Effect: The rotation of the Earth causes the trade winds to curve. In the Northern Hemisphere, they curve to the right, and in the Southern Hemisphere, they curve to the left. This effect is known as the Coriolis effect.
So, the trade winds are driven by the movement of air from high-pressure areas (subtropical highs) to low-pressure areas (near the equator) due to the differential heating of the Earth's surface. This convection-driven pattern of air movement plays a crucial role in global atmospheric circulation and has significant effects on climate and weather patterns around the world.