Journal ArticleDOI
A non-thermal mechanism for forcing cumulonimbus cloud
TLDR
In this article, a model of a nonthermal mechanism for low pressure centers in thunderstorms is developed which scales from the laboratory to the atmosphere using a turbulence Reynolds number, a velocity ratio and the diameter of the updraft.Abstract:
Within the thunderstorm there is an extensive region of collision between airflows having different transports of momentum. The inflow-updraft should interact with cloud layer environmental wind to produce counter-rotating vortex pairs somewhat like those produced in the laboratory by a jet in a crossflow. Atmospheric evidence of vortex pairs for severe thunderstorms is shown from measurements made by aircraft and by radar. A model of a non-thermal mechanism for low pressure centers in thunderstorms is developed which scales from the laboratory to the atmosphere using a turbulence Reynolds number, a velocity ratio and the diameter of the updraft. Central pressure deficits and vorticity of lee vortices scaled up from the laboratory observations are consistent with the few available thunderstorm measurements. The model is used to explain deviate motion of thunderstorms as well as to suggest a mechanism for tornado development and movement.read more
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Journal ArticleDOI
Intense Atmospheric Vortices Associated with a 1000 MW Fire
TL;DR: In this article, the Meteotron was used to generate a large thermal plume and three types of vortices were observed: large counter-rotating rolls in the downstream plume, small-scale vortice resembling very strong dust devils seen at the surface on the downwind side of the plume.
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