Rare Phenomenon: Cloud Swirls Recorded Near Cape Verde
On March 12, 2025, the Terra satellite recorded von Kármán vortices in the Atlantic Ocean, near Cape Verde. These formations arise when winds encounter obstacles, such as islands, generating alternating eddies. The phenomenon is an example of fluid dynamics and occurs on various scales in nature.
On March 12, 2025, an impressive phenomenon was recorded in the Atlantic Ocean, near the Cape Verde archipelago. The image, captured by the MODIS sensor on board the Terra satellite, reveals swirls of clouds known as von Kármán vortices, or Kármán vortex streets.
These formations occur when the flow of a fluid, such as air, is interrupted by an obstacle - in this case, the Cape Verde Islands. The prevailing wind, when it encounters the archipelago, generates a disturbance that spreads downstream, forming double rows of whirlpools spinning in alternating directions.
The phenomenon, as well as being visually fascinating, is a classic example of fluid dynamics and can be observed on different scales in nature, from atmospheric patterns to formations in ocean currents.
The phenomenon is visually fascinating and is a classic example of fluid dynamics.
