Today’s Imaggeo on Mondays image captures the eerie mood at Halifax Harbour, in Nova Scotia, Canada, on a sunny early morning. “The photograph captures rather unusual seasmoke surrounding a local commuter ferry with a number of other naval vessels in the background”, explains Helmuth Thomas, Professor at Dalhousie University (Canada) who took the snap back in February this year.
Seasmoke is rather unique: the perfect conditions have to prevail for it to become visible. “You’ll only spot it on calm and clear mid-winter days, when the sea temperature is still warmer than the very low air temperatures. It is only visible during the early morning,” adds Helmuth.
The evaporation of water from the cold sea, which still is much warmer than the air, leads to the formation of seasmoke above the ocean surface. The seasmoke disappears with the rising sun and rising air temperatures. It is only visible during few, very cold mornings per winter, since usually the warmer air perevents the formation of seasmoke.
By Helmuth Thomas, Professor at Dalhouise University and Laura Roberts, EGU Communications Officer.
Imaggeo is the EGU’s online open access geosciences image repository. All geoscientists (and others) can submit their photographs and videos to this repository and, since it is open access, these images can be used for free by scientists for their presentations or publications, by educators and the general public, and some images can even be used freely for commercial purposes. Photographers also retain full rights of use, as Imaggeo images are licensed and distributed by the EGU under a Creative Commons licence. Submit your photos at http://imaggeo.egu.eu/upload/
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