Whirlpool/MaelströmWhen opposing currents meet, a swirling phenomenon occurs. At the point of intera

Whirlpool/MaelströmWhen opposing currents meet, a swirling phenomenon occurs. At the point of interaction, a whirlpool forms. A small percentage of whirlpools are powerful. These larger, stronger whirlpools are called Maelströms.In nature, whirlpools can quite often be seen in oceans and at the base of waterfalls. In the ocean, the main cause is the tide. The back and forth movement of the water meet and subsequently create a small whirlpool. The strength of those that form at the base of waterfalls are dependent on the size of the waterfall. Both the drop and the quantity of water play a major part in determining whether or not the whirlpool at the base will be powerful. An example of strong whirlpools are those that form at Niagara Falls.Tsunamis that are created from massive earthquakes have also been proven to form maelströms. In this case they occur along the area of wave impact. The shape of the ocean floor plays a large role in the formation of these maelströms. The 2011 Tohoku Earthquake (Japan) triggered a tsunami that eventually led to a massive maelström. A Japanese news crew filmed this maelström. This footage has since gone viral.One of the most famous maelströms is the Corryvreckan Whirlpool (in the photograph), found off the west coast of mainland Scotland. In 1947, George Orwell and a few of his family members had to be rescued from this whirlpool. It is also referred to as “The Gateway to Hell” among sailors region.The direction in which the water spins in a maelström can be attributed to the Coriolis Effect. Anticlockwise in the northern hemisphere and clockwise in the southern hemisphere.Stories such as “A Descent into the Maelström” by Edgar Allan Poe and movies like Pirates of the Caribbean have greatly exaggerated Maelströms.Note, while many whirlpools may appear small and undaunting, it will be a bad idea to attempt to swim through one or to even traverse one in a boat. The currents associated with whirlpools have been known to pull even experienced swimmers down to their death.-Renesh TImage source:Walter Baxter - The Corryvreckan Whirlpoolhttp://bit.ly/1GkX8DfCheck out one of our recent articles regarding the Maelstrom of Saltstraumen by ANSHhttp://on.fb.me/1GkVDF7References/further reading:http://bbc.in/TmDMt2http://1.usa.gov/1yHrARFhttp://bit.ly/1ItC4JNhttp://bbc.in/1DBgfbV -- source link
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