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HOLE PUNCH CLOUD [1 record]

Record 1 2015-02-10

English

Subject field(s)
  • Atmospheric, Climatic and Meteorological Phenomena
  • Atmospheric Physics
DEF

A cirrocumulus or altocumulus cloud in which a large circular or elliptical gap has appeared.

OBS

[The gap is] formed when the water temperature in the clouds is below freezing but the water has not frozen yet due to the lack of ice nucleation particles ... When ice crystals do form, it will set off a domino effect, due to the Bergeron process, causing the water droplets around the crystals to evaporate: this leaves a large, often circular, hole in the cloud.

French

Domaine(s)
  • Phénomènes météorologiques, climatiques et atmosphériques
  • Physique de l'atmosphère
CONT

Trou de virga. Un nuage à une altitude où la température est bien sous le point de congélation est souvent formé d'un mélange de cristaux de glace et de gouttelettes en surfusion, tel les altocumulus ou les cirrocumulus. Les gouttelettes ne peuvent souvent se changer en cristaux par manque de noyaux glacigènes si elles sont éloignées des cristaux de glace du nuage. Un apport de ces noyaux causera la congélation immédiate des gouttes qu'ils touchent et l'absorption rapide des autres gouttes environnantes par effet Bergeron. Ceci diminue donc la densité du nuage qui semble s'évanouir autour de la zone affectée.

Spanish

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