|
Credit & Copyright: Peter Michaud
(Gemini Obs.)
Explanation:
Can a cloud do that?
Actually, pictured above are several
clouds all stacked up into one striking
lenticular cloud.
Normally, air moves much
more horizontally
than it does vertically.
Sometimes, however, such as when wind comes off of a
mountain or a
hill, relatively
strong vertical oscillations take place as the air stabilizes.
The dry air at the
top of an oscillation may be quite
stratified in moisture content, and hence forms
clouds at each layer where the air saturates with moisture.
The result can be a
lenticular cloud with a
strongly layered appearance.
The above picture was taken last week near Mauna Kea,
Hawaii,
USA.
|
January February March April May June July August September October November December |
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings, and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris. Specific rights apply.
A service of: LHEA at NASA / GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
Based on Astronomy Picture
Of the Day
Publications with keywords: lenticular clouds - Hawaii
Publications with words: lenticular clouds - Hawaii
See also: