Vortex

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This is an article on the real vortex phenomena. For other uses, see Vortex (disambiguation)
Image:Airplane vortex.jpg
Vortex created by the passage of an aircraft wing, revealed by coloured smoke

A vortex is a spinning turbulent flow (or any spiral whirling motion) with closed streamlines. The shape of media or mass rotating rapidly around a center forms a vortex. It is a flow involving rotation about an axis (not always oriented vertically though; sometimes possessing a horizontal axis).

Contents

Dynamics

A vortex can be any circular or rotary flow that possesses vorticity.[1] Vorticity is a mathematical concept used in fluid dynamics. It can be related to the amount of "circulation" or "rotation" in a fluid. In fluid dynamics, vorticity is the circulation per unit area at a point in the flow field. It is a vector quantity, whose direction is (roughly speaking) along the axis of the swirl. Also in fluid dynamics, the movement of a fluid can be said to be vortical if the fluid moves around in a circle, or in a helix, or if it tends to spin around some axis. Such motion can also be called solenoidal. In the atmospheric sciences, vorticity is a property that characterizes large-scale rotation of air masses. Since the atmospheric circulation is nearly horizontal, the (3 dimensional) vorticity is nearly vertical, and it is common to use the vertical component as a scalar vorticity.

Mathematically, it is defined as,

\omega = \nabla \times \mathit{u}

where u = u,v,w is the fluid velocity.

Observations

A vortex can be seen in the spiraling motion of air or liquid around a center of rotation. Circular current of water of conflicting tides form vortex shapes. Turbulent flow makes many vortices. A good example of a vortex is the atmospheric phenomenon of a whirlwind or a tornado or dust devil. This whirling air mass mostly takes the form of a helix, column, or spiral. Tornadoes develop from severe thunderstorms, usually spawned from squall lines and supercell thunderstorms, though they sometimes happen as a result of a hurricane.

A mesovortex is on the scale of a few miles (smaller than a hurricane but larger than a tornado). [2] On a much smaller scale, a vortex is usually formed as water goes down a drain, as in a sink or a toilet. This occurs in water as the revolving mass forms a whirlpool. This whirlpool is caused by water flowing out of a small opening in the bottom of a basin or reservoir. This swirling flow structure within a region of fluid flow opens downward from the water surface.

Instances

  • In the hydrodynamic interpretation of the behaviour of electromagnetic fields, the acceleration of electric fluid in a particular direction creates a positive vortex of magnetic fluid. This in turn creates around itself a corresponding negative vortex of electric fluid.
  • Whirlpool : a swirling body of water produced by ocean tides or by a hole underneath the vortex, where water drains out, as in a bathtub. In popular imagination, but only rarely in reality, can they have the dangerous effect of destroying boats.
  • Tornado : a violent windstorm characterized by a twisting, funnel-shaped cloud. A less violent version of a tornado, over water, is called a waterspout.
  • Hurricane : a much larger, swirling body of clouds produced by evaporating warm ocean water and influenced by the Earth's rotation. Similar, but far greater, vortices are also seen on other planets, such as the permanent Great Red Spot on Jupiter and the intermittent Great Dark Spot on Neptune.
  • Polar vortex : a persistent, large-scale cyclone centered near the Earth's poles, in the middle and upper troposphere and the stratosphere.
  • Sunspot : dark region on the Sun's surface (photosphere) marked by a lower temperature than its surroundings, and intense magnetic activity.
  • Spiral galaxy : a type of galaxy in the Hubble sequence which is characterized by a thin, rotating disk. Our galaxy, the Milky Way is this type.

See also

Image:Vortex.jpg
Water vortex

References and further reading

  • "Weather Glossary"' The Weather Channel Interactive, Inc.. 2004.
  • "Glossary and Abbreviations". Risk Prediction Initiative. The Bermuda Biological Station for Research, Inc.. St. George's, Bermuda. 2004.
  • Loper, David E., "An analysis of confined magnetohydrodynamic vortex flows". Case Institute of Technology. Washington, National Aeronautics and Space Administration]; for sale by the Clearinghouse for Federal Scientific and Technical Information, Springfield, Va. 1966. (NASA contractor report NASA CR-646) LCCN 67060315

External links

es:Vórtice fr:Vortex fi:Pyörre sv:Virvel

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