Happy New Year,
I recently got an interesting picture sent to me from Mike who lives in western Shawnee. Is it Santa making a test run, or something more scientific?
Notice the jet contrails overhead. The squiggly contrail got Mike wondering, is it the due to the Kelvin-Helmholtz effect? Kelvin-Helmholtz clouds form when there are changes in wind speed and direction. A cold layer above may cap the cloud forming layers and a wave-like appearance.
Going back to Mike's picture.
I don't think they are Kelvin-Helmholtz. They appear to be ordinary jet contrails. So why the wispy appearance. Well, the ice crystals in the contrails are likely falling from faster wind speeds at a higher altitude to slower winds at a slightly lower altitude. Remember, from where we stand on earth it is hard to tell a difference in the slight change of altitude of high level clouds. Mike, thanks for the question. I hope everyone has a safe and Happy 2008!!!
Brett