The pier at Progreso extends 6.5 kilometers into the Gulf of Mexico, creating an artificial obstruction to ocean flow and sediment transport near the shore. The first 2 kilometers of the pier are built on arches that allow some flow through, but the newer sections do not. Prevailing winds act from the east-northeast, driving flow roughly right to left in the image. The sediment traces flow around the pier and reveals the complicated flow-shadow downstream of the newer parts of the pier. (Image credit: NASA Earth Observatory)
Month: January 2015
Skydiving in Wind Tunnels
Skydivers and freefall acrobats utilize vertical wind tunnels as ground training facilities. Low-speed acrobatics, like gymnastics, relies on inertial forces and angular momentum for flips and attitude changes. But at freefall speeds, aerodynamic forces are much larger, and an acrobat’s orientation relative to the flow has a big effect on his stability and maneuverability. Simple movements of an arm or leg can significantly alter one’s aerodynamics, allowing the acrobats to choreograph controlled and synchronized motion. (Video credit: Red Bull)
Author’s note – After much consideration, I’ve decided to move FYFD to a MWF posting schedule for the time being. Working full-time has its limitations, and I believe the less frequent posting schedule will allow me to dedicate more time to generating new content like FYFD videos. This was a tough decision, but I hope it will help FYFD grow in the long-term. – Nicole
Lava-Driven Waterspouts
Seven waterspouts align as lava from the Hawaiian volcano Kilauea pours into the ocean in this striking photo from photographer Bruce Omori. Like many waterspouts–and their landbound cousins dust devils–these vortices are driven by variations in temperature and moisture content. Near the ocean surface, air and water vapor heated by the lava create a warm, moist layer beneath cooler, dry air. As the warm air rises, other air is drawn in by the low pressure left behind. Any residual vorticity in the incoming air gets magnified by conservation of angular momentum, like a spinning ice skater pulling her arms in. This creates the vortices, which are made visible by entrained steam and/or moisture condensing from the rising air. (Photo credit: B. Omori, via HPOTD; submitted by jshoer)
Top 10 FYFD Posts of 2014
It’s only fitting to take a moment to look back at 2014 as we step into the New Year. It was a big year in many respects – we hit 1000 posts and broke 200,000 followers; I started producing FYFD videos on our YouTube channel; and, on a personal note, I finished up my PhD. But since we’re all about the science around here, I will give you, without further ado, the top 10 FYFD posts of 2014:
1. Bioluminescent crustaceans use light for defense
2. What happens when you step on lava
3. Flapping flight deconstructed
4. Wingtip vortices demonstrated
5. Saturn’s auroras
6. Raindrops’ impact on sand
7. Water spheres in microgravity
8. The surreal undulatus asperatus cloud
9. Inside a plunging breaker
10. A simply DIY Marangoni effect demoI can’t help but notice that 9 out of the 10 posts feature animated GIFs. Oh, Tumblr, you rascals. Happy New Year! (Image credits: BBC; A. Rivest; E. Lutz; Nat. Geo/BBC2; ESA/Hubble; R. Zhao et al.; D. Petit; A. Schueth; B. Kueny and J. Florence; Flow Visualization at UC Boulder)
