V.1

104 - 112

On clouds formation

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It follows from the Table 1 that while values of F_b for least granules are comparable with the Lorentz force, for larger granules their changes are comparable with this force and for large granules even exceed it. With it their charge grows, so we can say, the Lorentz force is able to shift all granules, though to a different extent.

In the Table 1 I give the values of air buoyancy F_b at 1 km height from the earth surface for different size of granules (the second column) and its change F_b  when shifting from the equilibrium point by 100 m (the right column).

Table 1

The resultant force is the limitation of the granule shift by the Lorentz force, as it always is opposed, as shown in Fig. 2, b and c, for granules with the opposite charges moving west-to-east and opposite.

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There also are shown the formulas for the resultants for all four cases. These formulas differ from each other due to the different directions of forces and also of terrestrial electric force F_ee  affecting the granules.

Not only the resultant counteracts the Lorentz force. Because of spatial charge separation, there arises also the electric field force F_e   of these charges. It also is always opposite to the Lorentz force, as is shown in Fig. 2, b and c, so the equilibrium of any granule in its new location due to the Lorentz force affection takes place only if

The spatial charge separation in the cloud is possible also in vertical airstreams. It already takes place horizontally, in perpendicular to the terrestrial magnetic field, which means – with the motion of cloud. In this case only the electric force of spatial charges counteracts the Lorentz forces, so such separation can be more.

Joined horizontal and vertical Lorentz forces affection even more concentrates the same charges of cloud and arranges them staggered, as is shown in Fig. 3. Such structure of cloud charges makes the cloud more stable and disables its horizontal spreading. When we consider, how the heap cloud forms, we will understand how the vertical airstreams arise.

a

b

Fig. 3. Joined affection of forces in vertical and horizontal directions; the direction of vertical component of wind is shown by vertical arrows

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The heap cloud begins forming of the stratified cloud mass in which all charges are mixed. The first signs of separation arise with its motion along the terrestrial parallel or like direction. There are formed both compactions and rarefactions, the airstreams rush to these last mainly from the bottom and top, as the height of stratum is well less than its horizontal size. These up- and downgoing streams create the openings in the stratum and divide it into separate clouds. And they compact the cloud charges horizontally.

Due to the vertical airstreams, the cloud grows up and down. Its growth up is practically unlimited, due to less atmospheric pressure with height, and atmospheric pressure growing to the bottom of cloud slows the downgoing stream, so the cloud growth is limited from the bottom. The growing buoyancy as granules flow lower gives same effect.

But Lorentz force and vertical airstreams are not all affecting factors. Compacted and grown in height, the cloud resists the wind and appears under affection of two moving forces – force of wind and force of drag. Under their affection the cloud shrinks in length and grows in height and width.

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Is not it the cause, why the cloud is always larger across the motion, which contradicts the usual rule that any free object in the airstream has to take most flowing position? And does not it corroborate this hypothesis of heap clouds formation? And the staggered structure of spatial charges, due to the cloud longitudinal contraction, turns into that layered, which strengthens the electric fields induced by these charges. This makes the cloud even more stable.

The further growth of the heap cloud goes by way of joining smaller clouds into one larger. First of them, meeting the air drag, slows down and prevents other clouds from drag, they catch up with it, the cloud becomes larger. Only at some distance from it, behind, where the flowing air drags next clouds, a new cloud can originate.

This can explain the staggering structure of a group of heap clouds. Such structure is especially visual on the example of high-in-size heap clouds. But in the further motion of heap clouds, the wind can distort this staggering structure and arrange charges in lines either chaotically. A strong wind can even crowd clouds down to the periphery of wind flow and arrange them as a wedge; such systems of heap clouds were observed from cosmos.

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2.2. Strata and stratocumuli

Stratum clouds consist of the cloud mass with mixed charges. The forces of interaction between separate charges are infinitesimal. This makes such cloud spreading in a thin layer along a large area. The charges are not spatially separated here because the terrestrial magnetic field does not affect it. This is possible in two cases: when the cloud does not move either when it moves along the meridian.

The name of these clouds speaks of their structure. We have to divide them into the primary and secondary by the nature of their formation. The primary clouds are formed straight from the layered mass and factually are the initial stage of their transformation into the heap clouds. And the secondary stratocumuli are formed of heap clouds when they decay. This is possible when they are redirected closer to the along-meridian motion either stop. Thus, stratocumuli are the initial phase of transformation of the heap clouds into strata.

2.3. Cirri (fleecy clouds)

These fine clouds of the upper level of troposphere are forerunners of weather change. They are formed of the cloud mass blown out of upper layers of stratocumuli. A sudden wind of another direction cannot immediately redirect the whole cloud, it takes some time. Its first rush is able only to separate some part of cloud mass from the cloud surface, and not only from the top but also from bottom.

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Quite often we see the clouds going in one direction and the cirri – under them. These are first forerunners of the weather change, due to the wind redirection.

As the wind-gusts are rectangular and the Earth spherical, the masses blown from the top of clouds float up to higher layers of troposphere. Because the blown mass of cloud is small and the wind is strong, this mass is rarefied and irrespectively of the wind direction it takes the shape of feathers, so they are called fleecy, or feather-like. At the ends of ‘feathers’ there can form ‘claws’ or lumps. These first are called cirro-strata and the second – cirro-cumuli.

It is clear from the items 2.1 and 2.2 that cirro-strata and cirro-cumuli are formed dependently of direction of motion of cirri. If they move along the meridian, the terrestrial magnetic field does not affect them, and when slowing, their mass remains layered. The counter air only some deviates their motion, due to which the cloud forms ‘claws’ and even small vortexes. In their further decelerated motion such clouds turn into high-strata – semi-opaque haze – forerunning of strata of lower layer.

Another thing, when cirri cross the terrestrial magnetic field in their motion. Lumps at their ends are the initials of high-heap clouds formation.

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2.4. Nimbi (rainy clouds) and precipitations

Only two kinds of clouds can give an abundant rain – strato-nimbi and cumuli-nimbi which we can call ripe strata and cumuli. They ripen through compaction and through the granules becoming heavier. The granules compaction is caused by their intensive formation and cloud contraction by the surrounding air. With it, little granules can intensively combine into a larger and remain the flying ability. In case of positive temperature in the cloud, the water shells of little granules are able to merge into one larger. In case of negative temperature such merging is impossible and little granules, joining, make a skeleton of future snow-flake.

Granules and snow-flakes become heavier due to free vapour condensing on them. This, naturally, can occur under related temperature and humidity of environment.

Both processes can equally occur in strata and cumuli. A ripe cumulus at the bottom almost does not differ from a stratum-nimbus. We can differ it only by the direction of its motion, by stormy phenomena and related kind of precipitation: downpour, sleet or hail. At the top it has larger vertical size. The diffusion of heap cloud from the top is connected with the fact that the disorienting affection of Earth’s magnetic field onto the suspended and scattered granules is practically absent.

Conventionally, stormy precipitation – downpour, sleet and hail – is formed by way of multiple upward and downward motion of drops with vertical airstreams. But no one accounts the conditions that lightning produces in the heap clouds. This is the matter of separate study, here I will only mention, why the lightning never occurs in merely heap clouds. Most probably, spatial charges in them are separated by neutral layers, and electric fields of these charges cannot break them through. While in a ripe cloud, where granules become heavier and go down, the neutral layers become thinner. The electric field becomes stronger, especially in the narrowest place, and the first breakdown occurs there. Similar processes occur when non-ripen cloud falls down. This is possible when considerable deceleration or redirection towards the meridian. This last is typical for cyclones. Just so it is often erroneously thought that heap clouds can form also when moving north-to-south and vice versa.

Finally, let us make a point on the cause of monsoons. They are thought to be caused by the southern tropic wind from Indian ocean towards India that brings much moisture. But now we know that the southern wind can form only strata, which are unable to give downpours.

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Therefore, we have to seek the cause of monsoons, of their ‘explosion’, in the wind redirection.

Look at the global map of winds blowing when monsoons [2, Fig. 142]. We can see, at that time the wind blows towards India from the west. This wind is caused by the anticyclone located at that time near the African west beach and a cyclone above the Arabian sea [ibidem, Fig. 21]. The west wind transforms the strata above the Arabian sea into cumuli and transfer them to Himalayan spurs. Colliding with mountain ridge, they discharge with storms and downpours.

Such explanation of the cause of monsoons corroborates the above hypothesis of cumuli formation based on the force of terrestrial magnetic field shifting the granules.

References:

1. Volinsky, M.S. Unusual life of an usual drop. Znanie, Moscow, 1986

2. Chrgian, A.Kh. The physics of atmosphere. Moscow State University Press, 1986

1987