Thunderstorm Formation and Fractal Patterns
by Owen Borville
March 27, 2021
Science, Atmosphere, Meteorology, Learning
Thunderstorm Formation
Thunderstorms are caused by this mass of rising unstable air, a lifting mechanism, strong winds, along with moisture. The sun heats up surface air and causes it to rise upward, causing a convection process. As the warm air rises, it cools off, releases the heat, and condenses to form a cloud. The cloud continues to rise into freezing temperatures and form ice particles that collide, bounce off each other and create an electric charge. The ice particles also grow while freezing by condensing vapor. The accumulation of these collisions and electric charges combine to create bolts of lightning and the sound of thunder.
Thunderstorm Life Cycle
The thunderstorm life cycle begins with the development stage, or cumulus stage, where a cumulus cloud is pushed upward by a rising column of air (updraft) causing the cumulus cloud to look like a tower. The mature stage begins when precipitation begins to fall as the updraft continues, causing a downdraft downward pushing air column. The downdraft spreads outward and forms a line of gusty winds or gust front. Heavy rain, hail, lightening, strong winds, and tornadoes can form during the mature stage. The downdraft eventually overtakes the updraft in the dissipating stage and the gust front cuts off the warm, moist air that was feeding the thunderstorm.
Fractal Nature of Thunderstorms
The repeating and cyclical pattern of thunderstorm formation and the formation of the rotating spiral supercell mass of air can be considered fractal in nature. The supercell of rotating air begins rotating with a horizontal axis but is sometimes lifted by a strong updraft of air to produce a vertical rotating axis which causes more damage. Thunderstorms are also an attempt by the laws of nature to reach an equilibrium state in the atmosphere chemically with pressure and temperature.
by Owen Borville
March 27, 2021
Science, Atmosphere, Meteorology, Learning
Thunderstorm Formation
Thunderstorms are caused by this mass of rising unstable air, a lifting mechanism, strong winds, along with moisture. The sun heats up surface air and causes it to rise upward, causing a convection process. As the warm air rises, it cools off, releases the heat, and condenses to form a cloud. The cloud continues to rise into freezing temperatures and form ice particles that collide, bounce off each other and create an electric charge. The ice particles also grow while freezing by condensing vapor. The accumulation of these collisions and electric charges combine to create bolts of lightning and the sound of thunder.
Thunderstorm Life Cycle
The thunderstorm life cycle begins with the development stage, or cumulus stage, where a cumulus cloud is pushed upward by a rising column of air (updraft) causing the cumulus cloud to look like a tower. The mature stage begins when precipitation begins to fall as the updraft continues, causing a downdraft downward pushing air column. The downdraft spreads outward and forms a line of gusty winds or gust front. Heavy rain, hail, lightening, strong winds, and tornadoes can form during the mature stage. The downdraft eventually overtakes the updraft in the dissipating stage and the gust front cuts off the warm, moist air that was feeding the thunderstorm.
Fractal Nature of Thunderstorms
The repeating and cyclical pattern of thunderstorm formation and the formation of the rotating spiral supercell mass of air can be considered fractal in nature. The supercell of rotating air begins rotating with a horizontal axis but is sometimes lifted by a strong updraft of air to produce a vertical rotating axis which causes more damage. Thunderstorms are also an attempt by the laws of nature to reach an equilibrium state in the atmosphere chemically with pressure and temperature.
