Clouds

[Turtle]

I found this vidio that some wild looking clouds, what would cause this formation.

 

Cloud Anomalies - Italy Texas - April 7 2007

 

I propose a meteor might cause a round cloud. :) :eek: :evil:

 

http://hypography.com/forums/general-science-news/3849-asteroid-dust-may-influence-weather-study.html

...Micron-sized particles are big enough to reflect sunlight, cause local cooling, and play a major role in cloud formation, the Nature brief observes. Longer research papers being prepared from the same data for other journals are expected to discuss possible negative effects on the planet’s ozone layer.

 

"Our observations suggest that [meteors exploding] in Earth’s atmosphere could play a more important role in climate than previously recognized," the researchers write. ...

[DougF]

Yes I was leaning towards something like this, I was thinking some sudden heat source was rising into the upper cloud layer. :)

 

well off to find some clouds :)

[DougF]

I was sent this last night and I thought I would share this cool pic.

 

 

 

THIS IS A FIRE RAINBOW - THE RAREST OF ALL NATURALLY OCCURRING ATMOSPHERIC PHENOMENA.

THE PICTURE WAS CAPTURED THIS WEEK ON THE IDAHO/WASHINGTON BORDER. THE EVENT LASTED ABOUT 1 HOUR.

THE CLOUDS HAVE TO BE CIRRUS, AT LEAST 20K FEET IN THE AIR, WITH JUST THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF ICE CRYSTALS,

AND THE SUN HAS TO HIT THE CLOUDS AT PRECISELY 58 DEGREES.

[REASON]

That one's amazing Doug! What an awsome photo.

 

That one would make an excellent framed poster. ;)

[freeztar]

Awesome photo Doug!

 

It's funny because I was looking for this thread a few days ago. I didn't think to look in the physics forum. ;)

 

Anyhow, here are some more great cloud shots:

Clouds Pictures, Clouds Wallpapers, Download, Photos -- National Geographic

[HydrogenBond]

If you look at clouds, in general, what we have is a phase separation from the atmosphere, where high entropy water vapor, originally fully dissolved in the air, lowers entropy. We don't get this affect with the O2 and N2, with either of these forming higher concentration pockets. The difference is because of the hydrogen bonding that can occur in water. The water can lower entropy because of the net energy that can be released because of this moderately strong EM attraction. Clouds will still contain entropy, but it is less than the surrounding O2 and N2, which are EM neutral.

 

If we were to take a sample of a cloud, i.e., cubic meter, the amount of water in that sample is higher than what one would expect from water saturation in the air, where the water is fully dissolved in the air. It is because it is existing as a separate phase with the EM attraction allowing more water to collect in one area. If we condense this water we essentially remove its higher percentage impact on the vapor space. The result is a loss of partial pressure, pulling a slight vacuum, i.e., low pressure.

 

A loose experiment is a jar of air with a rod in the jar. We have a rubber collar in the lid, where the rod goes through. It is an air tight seal. If we pull the rod out of the jar, with the collar seal not allowing air to leak in, the result is the same air has to occupy more space to make up for the volume the rod once occupied. The result is a vacuum. In the case of rain, the rod-gasket is going from vapor to liquid-solid causing about a 1000 fold reduction in the original space the water had been occupying. This is also driven by the EM forces in the water, with liquid water the more stable state.

[Turtle]

Not all clouds are created equal. Here's a beautimous (if not oversized.:))shot of some noctilucent clouds from the space station:

http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/station/crew-17/hires/iss017e011632.jpg

[Turtle]

I shot these clouds yesterday. 48 minutes elapsed time, compressed to 5.

YouTube - Cloud Stream http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwsu8fhRxio

[Turtle]

In this time lapse video, 98% of the clouds start as jet contrails. Elapsed time is 2 hrs 20 mins, starting about 4:40pm Pacific time. Looking South from Vancouver USA. ;) ;) :)

 

YouTube - Contrails over the Columbia http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sSHZXRqy6nY

[Turtle]

Just caught these suggestive formations out my South window as they move East over P-Town. :) :shrug:

 

Altocumulus undulatus

...As with other altocumuli, the undulatus variety can form in all seasons, announcing an approaching system within the general area (about 100 - 200 mi or 160 - 322 km). They result from wind shear (an abrupt speed or directional shifting in the wind, acutely changing with height). Lines one might see indicate the direction of the shear. ...

 

[Moontanman]

Just caught these suggestive formations out my South window as they move East over P-Town. :) :shrug:

 

Altocumulus undulatus

 

 

 

A mackerel sky, cool.....

[Moontanman]

If you look at clouds, in general, what we have is a phase separation from the atmosphere, where high entropy water vapor, originally fully dissolved in the air, lowers entropy. We don't get this affect with the O2 and N2, with either of these forming higher concentration pockets. The difference is because of the hydrogen bonding that can occur in water. The water can lower entropy because of the net energy that can be released because of this moderately strong EM attraction. Clouds will still contain entropy, but it is less than the surrounding O2 and N2, which are EM neutral.

 

If we were to take a sample of a cloud, i.e., cubic meter, the amount of water in that sample is higher than what one would expect from water saturation in the air, where the water is fully dissolved in the air. It is because it is existing as a separate phase with the EM attraction allowing more water to collect in one area. If we condense this water we essentially remove its higher percentage impact on the vapor space. The result is a loss of partial pressure, pulling a slight vacuum, i.e., low pressure.

 

A loose experiment is a jar of air with a rod in the jar. We have a rubber collar in the lid, where the rod goes through. It is an air tight seal. If we pull the rod out of the jar, with the collar seal not allowing air to leak in, the result is the same air has to occupy more space to make up for the volume the rod once occupied. The result is a vacuum. In the case of rain, the rod-gasket is going from vapor to liquid-solid causing about a 1000 fold reduction in the original space the water had been occupying. This is also driven by the EM forces in the water, with liquid water the more stable state.

 

HB, it's temperature not hydrogen bonding, if it was cold enough O2 and N2 would both form clouds and precipitation and snow.

[Turtle]

A mackerel sky, cool.....

 

Thank you for that term. :eek: I had to look it up, and found that it may apply to a variety of forms, besides the Altocumulus undulatus. Anyway, I got a shot today of another form of mackeral sky. This is looking WSW. :naughty: :cheer:

 

 

Altocumulus mackerel sky - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A mackerel sky is an indicator of moisture (the cloud) and instability (the cumulus form) at intermediate levels (2400-6100 m, 8000-20,000 ft). If the lower atmosphere is stable and no moist air moves in, the weather will most likely remain dry. However, moisture at lower levels combined with surface temperature instability can lead to rainshowers or thunderstorms should the rising moist air reach this layer. In the winter it is often said to precede snowstorms and flurries. Mackerel skies are spoken of in the popular bywords, "Mackerel in the sky, three days dry," and "Mackerel sky, mackerel sky. Never long wet and never long dry." The phrase 'mackerel sky' came from the fact that it looks similar to the markings of an adult king mackerel.

 

[Turtle]

I'll be darned. :shrug: I wonder how and/or if this affects lightning? :shrug: :(

 

Surprising Clouds Forming Due to Lead in Air

 

Lead in the air is causing clouds in odd conditions—in conditions typically too warm and dry for cloud formation—according to scientists who've "bottled" clouds and even grown their own.

...

Since the 1940s, scientists have known that seeding clouds with lead can hasten ice-crystal formation and precipitation, said atmospheric chemist Dan Cziczo of the U.S. Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.

 

"But this is the first time we've found that lead in the environment, inadvertently added by human activities like burning coal, is having the same effect," he said.

 

"What we need are follow-up studies to explore how this might change precipitation patterns," Cziczo noted

 

[freeztar]

I was digging around in this thread today and thought I'd breathe some new life into it with this strange cloud phenomena I found.

 

Kármán vortex street - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

These clouds are very cool looking and the fluid dynamics behind them are equally fascinating.

 

Kármán vortex street off the coast of Rishiri Island in Japan.

 

Animation of the phenomenon. Courtesy, Cesareo de La Rosa Siqueira.

[Turtle]

I was digging around in this thread today and thought I'd breathe some new life into it with this strange cloud phenomena I found.

 

Kármán vortex street - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

These clouds are very cool looking and the fluid dynamics behind them are equally fascinating.

 

Kármán vortex street off the coast of Rishiri Island in Japan.

 

Animation of the phenomenon. Courtesy, Cesareo de La Rosa Siqueira.

 

velly nice!! the animation struck a chord as i blogged about a power generation scheme a while back that uses this vortex effect. >> Scientists to tap river currents to create clean energy

[REASON]

Here's a bizarre cloud formation filmed in Moscow. I'm thinking it's really an unusual ring in the blanket of clouds that's either thinner or cloudless allowing light to penetrate.

 

Strange Clouds Over Moscow and other Videos on StupidVideos.com