Enormous whirlpools are not simply the work of overactive imaginations. There are several spots in the world, including Japan’s Naruto Strait, that regularly see these spectacular vortices. Naruto’s whirlpools are Keep reading
Tag: vorticity
Reader Question: Cross Sea
Reader Matt G asks: [What’s] going on here? Why’s the pattern square? Just a special case of waves traveling in different directions, and this photo happened to catch some at Keep reading
Waterspouts
Despite their ominous appearance, these waterspouts – like most of their kind – are fair-weather phenomena unrelated to tornadoes. They can form when cold, dry air moves over warm waters. As warm, Keep reading
Paddling
When I lived in New England, I often spent summers paddling around a lake in either a kayak or canoe. Every stroke was an opportunity to stare down into the Keep reading
Ice Cream Vortex
[original media no longer available] Here’s a fun demonstration of vorticity: sticking an ice cream cone in a bathtub vortex. Now, before someone points out that this is clearly a Keep reading
Vortices and Ground Effect
Though typically unseen, the vortices that swirl from the tips of aircraft wings are powerful. Here you see a Hawker Sea Fury equipped with a smoke system used to visualize Keep reading
Fire Tornado in a Bubble
File this one under awesome tricks you shouldn’t try at home. Here bubble artist Dustin Skye demonstrates his handheld inverted fire tornado. First, he blows a large encapsulating bubble, then Keep reading
Vortex Dome
Are you staring into the eye of a hurricane or watching the spin of a simple desk toy? Part of the beauty of fluid dynamics is recognizing how similar they Keep reading
From Firenado to Water Spout
Just a few years ago, fire tornadoes were almost fabled because they were so rarely captured on video. Now, with worsening wildfire seasons and cell phone cameras everywhere, there are Keep reading
Vortex Ring Collisions
One of the most enduringly popular submissions I receive is T. Lim’s experimental footage of two vortex rings colliding head-on. It’s an devilishly tough experimental set-up to master because perfectly Keep reading