Stumbled across this:
http://pic1.funtigo.com/valuca?g=25544746&cr=1
Some very weird cloud shapes including a lot of lenticular examples that look like UFO's! Not sure about the jet coming out of the condensing cloud at the bottom - looks a bit fake to me?
Some very weird clouds
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Mike Brown
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This is a common occurance. So what is it? Here we go!!
When flying transonic and low supersonic, the aircraft creates a powerful pressure wave (technically several waves, but one is predominant). It's like the bow wave a boat makes in the water. The area immediately behind the wave is a low presssure area. If the air is moist (high humidity) the moisture will condense in that low pressure area, which will appear as a "cloud". But notice that the "cloud" is moving with the aircraft which is moving at or above the speed of sound. That is impossible. What is happening is that the cloud is created in the low pressure area, the low pressure area moves forward, and the cloud dissappears. But a new cloud is instantly created in the new location of the low pressure area, and so on. So the cloud is not acutally moving with the aircraft, but instead a new cloud is created in each point in space as the aircraft moves through it.
Have you ever watched a space shuttle landing? You will see little cloud "streamers" come off the wing tips. The mechanism is completely different, but this is also a low pressure area where the moisture in the air condenses. The different mechanism causes the low pressure area to dissipate more slowly and so you see the cloud trail behind the shuttle a short distance.
Fighters doing heavy maneuvering in airshows also create transient clouds above their wings during high G maneuvers. A large area above the wing becomes a low pressure area and a "cloud" forms during the duration of the maneuver, usually only a second or less.
Hope the above helps clear that one up for those interested!!
Now back to work!
Cheers
Chief Tosser
When flying transonic and low supersonic, the aircraft creates a powerful pressure wave (technically several waves, but one is predominant). It's like the bow wave a boat makes in the water. The area immediately behind the wave is a low presssure area. If the air is moist (high humidity) the moisture will condense in that low pressure area, which will appear as a "cloud". But notice that the "cloud" is moving with the aircraft which is moving at or above the speed of sound. That is impossible. What is happening is that the cloud is created in the low pressure area, the low pressure area moves forward, and the cloud dissappears. But a new cloud is instantly created in the new location of the low pressure area, and so on. So the cloud is not acutally moving with the aircraft, but instead a new cloud is created in each point in space as the aircraft moves through it.
Have you ever watched a space shuttle landing? You will see little cloud "streamers" come off the wing tips. The mechanism is completely different, but this is also a low pressure area where the moisture in the air condenses. The different mechanism causes the low pressure area to dissipate more slowly and so you see the cloud trail behind the shuttle a short distance.
Fighters doing heavy maneuvering in airshows also create transient clouds above their wings during high G maneuvers. A large area above the wing becomes a low pressure area and a "cloud" forms during the duration of the maneuver, usually only a second or less.
Hope the above helps clear that one up for those interested!!
Now back to work!
Cheers
Chief Tosser