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Imaggeo On Monday: “Smoking” peaks of the Patagonian batholith

Imaggeo On Monday: “Smoking” peaks of the Patagonian batholith

The indigenous name of the 3405 meter high Fitz Roy mountain in Patagonia, on the border between Argentina and Chile, is frequently translated as “smoking mountain”. This photo may visually explain an origin of this name. On the day the photo was taken, vortices downwind of the peak drew warmer, humid air from below, forming banner clouds at the leeward site of the Fitz Roy mountain an ...[Read More]

Imaggeo on Mondays: Inside the whale’s mouth

Imaggeo on Mondays: Inside the whale’s mouth

Often there are moments in our lives when we are reminded of the strength and magnitude of our environment, whether that’s trekking through a mountain range or gazing at the horizon from the ocean shore. Yet arguably there are few things that can make you feel as small as a particularly powerful summer storm. “The atmosphere is undoubtedly one of the most dynamic components in the Earth System. No ...[Read More]

Imaggeo on Mondays: Cumulonimbus, king of clouds

Imaggeo on Mondays: Cumulonimbus, king of clouds

This wonderful mature thunderstorm cell was observed near the German Aerospace Center (DLR) Oberpfaffenhofen. A distinct anvil can be seen in the background meanwhile a new storm cell is growing in the foreground of the cumulonimbus structure. Mature storm cells like this are common in Southern Germany during the summer season. Strong heat, enough moisture, and a labile stratification of the atmos ...[Read More]

Geosciences Column: The complex links between shrinking sea ice and cloud cover

Sea ice breaking on the Chukchi Sea, Barrow, July 2014

The global climate system is complex. It is composed of, and governed by, a plethora of interconnect factors. Solar radiation, land surface, ice cover, the atmosphere and living things, as well as wind and ocean currents, play a crucial role in the climate system. These factors are intricately connected; changes to some can have significant effects on others, leading to overall consequences for th ...[Read More]