For almost 70 years, scientists didn’t know what caused Cavum clouds, also known as ‘hole-punch clouds’ and ‘fallstreak holes’ but in 2010, weather experts finally solved the mystery.
They discovered that these strange shapes are made when planes fly through ‘altocumulus clouds,’ which are small, patchy clouds that form between 7,000 and 23,000 feet up in the sky.
The University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR), who look after the National Science Foundation’s Centre for studying the atmosphere, figured out the secret of the Cavum clouds.
They found out that these mid-level ‘altocumulus clouds’ are made of very pure water vapour that is ‘supercooled’. This means it hasn’t turned into ice, even though the tiny droplets floating in the air are a freezing 5 degrees Fahrenheit.
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They used data from plane flights, satellite observations and weather models to understand the process.
When a plane’s wings or propellers move, they change the pressure around these droplets. This causes something called ‘adiabatic expansion’ in the swirling air, breaking the delicate conditions that kept the vapour liquid.
NASA’s Earth Observatory spotted the unique formation off the coast of the Florida Keys on January 30, 2024.
They posted the satellite photo as their Image of the Day.
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