What is the convergence of north east and south east trade winds near equator known as ?

The convergence of the northeast and southeast trade winds near the equator is formally known as the Inter-tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) [c1][t3]. This region is a permanent low-pressure belt where surface trade winds from both hemispheres meet, leading to intense convection, cloud formation, and heavy precipitation [t1][t7]. While the ITCZ is also colloquially referred to as the 'doldrums' due to its extremely calm horizontal air movements and variable winds that historically stranded sailing vessels, 'Inter-tropical Convergence Zone' is the precise meteorological term for the convergence itself [c1][t5][t8]. The air in this zone rises due to high insolation, reaching the top of the troposphere before moving poleward [c2]. The ITCZ oscillates seasonally, generally following the apparent movement of the sun between the hemispheres [c1][t2].

Sources

1. [1] Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 23: Pressure Systems and Wind System > Equatorial Low-Pressure Belt or 'Doldrums' > p. 311
2. [2] https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/earth-and-planetary-sciences/intertropical-convergent-zone
3. [4] FUNDAMENTALS OF PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY, Geography Class XI (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 9: Atmospheric Circulation and Weather Systems > General circulation of the atmosphere > p. 80