Meteorologists concerned about a possible worldwide intensification of tornado activity may now be able to study tornadoes in the lab.
Andrei Sommer of the University of Ulm in Germany has formed "micro-tornadoes" under millimeter-scale crystalline "igloos."
Sommer evaporated tiny drops of water laced with polystyrene nanospheres to form transparent igloos. The drops consist of 15 microliters of liquid and form the igloos after being deposited on a surface under an evaporation chamber.
As the drops evaporated, Sommer observed patterns formed by swirling micro-vortexes that appeared similar to those formed by tornadoes.
Because the conditions favoring the formation of the micro-tornadoes are identical to those forming real tornadoes, Sommer suggested such igloos and their micro-tornadoes could become important new tools for meteorologists seeking to understand how certain atmospheric conditions spawn tornadoes.
"By simultaneously wetting the roof of such an igloo, if necessary, and injecting minimal amounts of water containing nanospheres into it, it should be possible to mimic basic processes in tornadoes experimentally and to explore the impact of relevant boundary conditions including terrain conditions and cloud cover," he said.
The research is to appear in the June 6 issue of the journal Crystal Growth & Design.
Copyright 2007 by United Press International
Related stories:
How intense will storms get? New model helps answer question
A new mathematical model indicates that dust devils, water spouts, tornadoes, hurricanes and cyclones are all born of the same mechanism and will intensify as climate change warms the Earth's surface.
Balloons 'bombard' North Alabama landfill to collect data, improve tornado warnings
Three hot-air balloons dropped asphalt shingles, lumber, sticks, leaves and pine needles onto the Morgan County Landfill near here on Sunday so scientists at The University of Alabama in Huntsville could gather data needed to improve tornado warnings.
Rare genetic syndrome may hold key to cure for heat stroke
A genetic disorder that can cause a fatal rise in body temperature in some patients undergoing general anesthesia may hold the key to a cure for heat stroke, according to research published in the April 4 edition of the journal
Cell. The findings further suggest that antioxidants, like those currently being tested to protect the lungs of cystic fibrosis patients, may also protect those genetically prone to suffer heat stroke.
Research forecasts increased chances for stormy weather
Researchers who study severe weather and climate change joined forces to study the effects of global warming on the number of severe storms in the future and discovered a dramatic increase in potential storm conditions for some parts of the United States.
US needs to plan for climate change-induced summer droughts
The western United States has experienced increasing drought conditions in recent years – and conditions may worsen if global climate change models are accurate – yet the country is doing little to prepare for potential catastrophe, a group of scientists said today.
'Vortex lattices' may help explain material defects
What do you get when you superimpose a rotating pattern of intersecting laser beams on a spinning cloud of ultracold atoms in a thin gas? Pretty pictures, for one thing--but also a new method that could be used to simulate why and how defects arise in superconductors, important materials that are difficult to study directly.
Mars' dust storms may produce peroxide snow
The planet-wide dust storms that periodically cloak Mars in a mantle of red may be generating a snow of corrosive chemicals, including hydrogen peroxide, that would be toxic to life, according to two new studies published in the most recent issue of the journal
Astrobiology.
Study: La Niña might create severe weather
U.S. scientists say La Niña-controlled weather patterns have the potential to produce more severe storms, as those recently seen in the Midwest and South.