Forecast Storms Essay Research Paper If you free essay sample

Prognosis Storms Essay, Research Paper If you know where and when to look, you can handle yourself to a colorful show of atmospheric auras, musca volitanss and pillars. These images can state you something about the clouds overhead and possible alterations in the conditions. All of these images are created by light reflecting through cirrostratus clouds. These clouds occur at an height of 6,000-12,000 meters. They appear as a thin sheet or bed ( strata ) that is pure white. The bed of cloud is so thin ( merely 100-450 meters ) that is doesn # 8217 ; t befog the Sun or Moon, so you should be able to see your shadow. Cirrostratus is made of many types of ice crystals. However, four crystal forms are responsible for bring forthing most of the commonly see haloes-plate crystals, columns, capped columns and slugs. The most obvious aura is found around the Sun. If the bed of cirrostratus is extended, you # 8217 ; ll see an full ring. We will write a custom essay sample on Forecast Storms Essay Research Paper If you or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Within the bed of cloud, sunshine is striking and go throughing through the sides of randomly-oriented ice crystals. As the sunshine passes through each crystal, the light alterations way, or refracts. The radius of the whole depends on the sum of alteration in the way of the Sun # 8217 ; s visible radiation. Normally this is 22 grades. Since the Sun is 1/2 of a grade across, the radius of the aura is 44 sun-widths. Occasionally you may see a 2nd aura at 46 grades from the Sun ( that is, with a radius of 92 sun-widths ) . This is produced by sunshine passing through both the side and underside of each call stal. Moonlight will also produce a halo, around the moon, with the proper layer of cirrostatus. Another common optical effect is known as â€Å"mock suns† or â€Å"sun dogs† or â€Å"parhelia† (Greek for â€Å"with the sun†). These bright spots on either side of the sun, outside of the halo, occur when sunlight passes through the sides of capped columns, bullets and plate crystals, when these crystals are arranged with their sides vertical. The crystals wobble, diffusing and smearing the colours of the mock sun. You can see haloes and mock suns more clearly if you block out your view of the real sun by holding your hand in front of it at arm’s length. Another spectactular optical effect is the solar pillar. This is a vertical shaft of light the same colour as the sun stretching upwards from the sun and is most often seen at sunset or sunrise. It’s produced by sunlight reflecting of the base of plate and capped column crystals in the clouds . You can also see pillars in an ice fog, when it’s illuminated by streelights, or airport runway lights, for instance. The appearance of all these optical images is a good indication that the weather will change. Strong vertical air currents associated with low pressure storms carry moist air skyward, where the water freezes. High speed winds above the storm system push the ice crystals on ahead. When you see haloes around the sun or moon, you can be sure of two things-there are cirrostratus clounds above and, in a day or two, the skies will darken with an approaching storm.