Kármán Vortex Streets and Wave Clouds Over Eastern USA – January 13th, 2010
30.5N 82.9W
USA - January 5th, 2010
The parallel lines in the clouds that seem to radiate outward from the southern and southeastern coasts of the United States of America are a phenomenon known as Kármán vortex streets. These repeating patterns of swirling vortices are caused by the unsteady separation of flow of a fluid over bluff bodies.
Once the full image has been opened, another phenomenon is visible: wave clouds. These are created when clouds form along the crests of atmospheric standing waves but evaporate in the descending parts of the waves, making repeating cloud-covered and cloud-free bands.
