Jupiter continues to mesmerize in the images from JunoCam. With enhanced contrast, the planet’s eddies look like swirls you could just lean forward and fall into. The complexity of the Jovian atmosphere’s mixing is Keep reading
Category: Phenomena
Swirling Vortex
So much of fluid dynamics comes down to finding the right way to observe a flow. This image of a swirling tropical system was captured by an astronaut aboard the Keep reading
The Microscopic Ocean
When you’re the size of plankton, water may as well be molasses. Viscosity rules at these scales, and swimming plankton leave distinctive wakes that are slow to dissipate. Fish that feed on plankton use Keep reading
Wave Clouds in the Front Range
Last Sunday night metro Denver was treated to a rare sight: clouds resembling breaking waves formed near sunset. These are Kelvin-Helmholtz clouds, and the comparison to ocean waves is apt, Keep reading
Coke and Butane Rockets
Rocket science has a reputation for being an incredibly difficult subject. But while there’s complexity in the execution, the concept behind rockets is pretty simple: throw mass out the back Keep reading
Streaming Fire
I’m just going to start this one with a blanket statement: DO NOT TRY THIS. Instead, enjoy the fact that the Internet enables us to enjoy the sight of burning gasoline in Keep reading
Inside Tears of Wine
Pour wine or liquor into a glass, give it swirl, and you can watch as droplets form and dance on the walls. This well-known phenomena, often called “tears” or “legs” in wine, Keep reading
Fiery Streaklines
Embers fly through the Kincade wildfire leaving streaks of light that reveal the strong winds helping drive the fire. This unintentional flow visualization mirrors techniques used by researchers to understand how flows Keep reading
Nighttime Streets
Clouds spiral behind the islands of Tenerife and Gran Canaria in this nighttime satellite imagery. Although it’s not entirely unusual to see these von Karman vortex street clouds in the wakes of Keep reading
Supercooling Thermodynamics
In the latest Gastrofiscia episode, Tippe Top Physics takes on thermodynamics and the complicated truth behind certain phase changes. Although we’re accustomed to thinking of water freezing at 0 degrees Celsius and Keep reading