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вторник, августа 01, 2006

Stop Press - Weather Report!

This report here writes about a sighting of a Nacreous cloud over the Antarctic. Apparently its considered a "rare cloud", rare enough to warrant a news article, considering the 'extreme' conditions for its formation - water-ice crystals "blown along a strong jet of stratospheric air" more than 10 kilometers above the ground, and formed at an extreme temperature (minus 87 degrees). Apparently nacreous clouds are formed under harsh conditions.
(pic accompanying the report)

What's befuddling though, is that I spotted nacreous clouds while I was in Nongkhai and Laos during the the hot and rainy season in August 2005. They were spotted over Udon Thani and Vientienne municipality on separate days. More here (scroll down towards the bottom). So how rare are they, and how are they really created? By all scientific sources, nacreous accounts are rare events forming only under severe conditions (extreme cold, extreme dry, supercooling, nitric and/or sulphuric acid content!), but I've been told by two separate local accounts in Nongkhai and Vientienne that its regularly spotted over the Mekong during late afternoons that part of the year. Perhaps there is more to this phenomenon that atmospheric scientists haven't bothered with much yet? For all we know, the mekong's probably polluted and giving out noxious fumes right now!

Anyhows, enjoy!
Udon Thani, 5:19, 23/08/05
 Undisclosed location, Laos, 4:50pm, 29/08/05
 Undisclosed location, Laos, 4:45pm, 29th August 2005
 Undisclosed location, Laos, 4:49pm, 29/08/05
Posted by: JM / 11:27 PM

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