Cirrus clouds off the Chilean coastSeveral layers of clouds are visible at different altitudes in th

Cirrus clouds off the Chilean coastSeveral layers of clouds are visible at different altitudes in this image taken by the MODIS instrument on NASA’s AQUA satellite, though the amazing wispy ones taking centre stage from top right to bottom left are high altitude cirrus clouds, made of falling ice crystals. They form when turbulence in the fast moving jet stream sucks up moister air from below, whose water swiftly freezes into minute ice particles. These crystals then spread out with the prevailing winds (in this case some 160kph at 13km altitude), forming some lovely shapes from whichever perspective they are viewed. Sooner or later gravity reasserts its sway, and they gently start to fall back down towards Terra Firma.To the upper right, the lower altitude stratocumulus are typical of the west facing coasts of continents. They form over cool ocean with descending air above. As the air drops it dries out creating a temperature inversion. The clouds then form below it from evaporated sea water meeting the inversion and stalling, condensing out from saturation. As they say of clouds, physics, writ large in the sky.LozImage credit: NASA/MODIShttps://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/85943/cirrus-clouds-off-the-coast-of-chile -- source link
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