Chemtrails or chemtrails are traces from aircraft that do not dissipate for a long time, while they can form a grid in the sky.

Initially, chemtrails were classified as contrails that expand for a long time until they turn into cirrus clouds, in contrast to "normal" ones, which disappear within a few minutes. Now almost all “unusual” contrails are considered to be chemtrails, differing, for example, in shape, unevenness, or other features. According to supporters of the chemtrail idea, these phenomena are accompanied by feelings of fatigue and depression among people in the surrounding settlements.

This article is aimed at finding out whether chemtrails exist at all or whether there are other reasons for the features that are associated with them.

History

In 1996, the US Air Force published the article "Weather as a Force Multiplier: Owning the Weather in 2025", which proposed the idea of ​​a weather weapon and became the basis for the development of chemtrail theory.

The word "chemtrails" - the Russian version of the English "chemtrails" - was introduced into use by the director of the Russian UFO research station RUFORS, Nikolai Subbotin, who wrote the first article in Russia on the problem of chemtrails in 2001.

In 2007, Louisiana local television reported checkered skies and an overestimated barium concentration of 6.8 parts per million (three times the MAC). Subsequently, I had to take the words back (the concentration turned out to be a thousand times less, 6.8 billionth parts) - nevertheless, "the genie was released from the bottle."

From 1996 to the present, many hypotheses about the sources of chemtrails have been proposed.

1. The main version: the government uses aircraft (most often passenger) to spray an aerosol substance that can cause fatigue and depression in people, as well as a number of different kinds of diseases.
2. Researcher Tom Dongo from Sedona (Arizona, USA) is researching portals and anomalous zone, located 20 miles from Sedona, and adheres to the alternative hypothesis of using chemtrails. According to the hypothesis of Tom and other studies of the Sedon anomaly, portals may be passages to other dimensions. And chemtrails are a spraying of some chemical to destroy portals. Tom's book "Crossing Dimensions" is devoted to this problem.
3. American researcher Mike Blair is more categorical in his conclusions about the nature and purpose of chemtrails. In an official report dated June 11, 2001, he clearly names the main culprits of this phenomenon and the reasons for its occurrence. Barium salts form the basis of chemotrails. The spraying of this chemical is part of the military Advanced Radar System Test Program (RFMP).
4. Another hypothesis for the origin of chemtrails is associated with the use of barium salts, which are designed to control the weather. This project is also known as HAARP.
5. Chemtrails and the substance that falls out of them are the result of some special type of UFO engines.

Chemtrail signs

• The chemtrails expand until they become cirrus clouds. Sometimes it happens that planes arrange a whole "grid" in the sky - usually on a clear day.

Chemtrails in the sky

• Airborne chemtrails are observed at altitudes from 8000 to 33000 feet (2438.4 to 10058.4 m). They usually form below 30,000 feet (9144 m). Normal exhaust cannot form at this altitude. Therefore, seeing emissions below 30,000 feet is very likely a chemtrail.
• After the flight of aircraft on the ground, barium and aluminum salts, polymer fibers, thorium, silicon carbide or various substances of organic origin, and those who fell under the chemtrail allegedly feel worse.

Chemtrails are often referred to as an unusual airplane contrail. Let's try to figure out which trace from an airplane is common.

The nature of the appearance of the contrail (condensation) trace

Condensation trail (outdated contrail - incorrect, jargon jet trail - erroneous name) - a visible trail formed in the sky behind moving aircraft under certain conditions (parameter ratios) of the atmosphere. Seen most frequently in upper layers tropopause, and much less frequently in the stratosphere.

The condensation trail is a separate group of clouds - man-made (artificial) clouds - Cirrus traktus (Cс trac., cirrus - cirrus, tractus - traces).

There are two main reasons for the occurrence of the phenomenon:

The first is an increase in air humidity, when water vapor formed as a result of fuel combustion is added to atmospheric water vapor. This increases the dew point in a limited volume of air (behind the engines), and if it becomes higher than the ambient temperature, then when the exhaust gases cool, the excess water vapor condenses (sublimes).

Condensation trail

The second is a decrease in air pressure and temperature above the wing and inside the vortices that occur during the flow around various parts aircraft. The most intense vortices are formed at the wingtips and extended flaps, as well as at the ends of the propeller blades. If at the same time the temperature drops below the dew point, the excess atmospheric water vapor condenses (sublimes) in the area above the wing and inside the vortices.

Condensation trails from B-17 piston aircraft, Second World War Clearly visible condensate inside the vortices escaping from the ends of the blades

A contrail formed by eddies from the ends of a wing.

Often there are traces formed as a result of a combination of these two causes. Also of particular importance is the fact that at high altitude there is a shortage of condensation centers, therefore, even when the temperature reaches a lower dew point, atmospheric moisture often remains in gaseous state. The flight of an aircraft causes the appearance of a large number of such condensation centers, which contributes to rapid development condensation trail. Condensation centers can be particles of unburned or incompletely burned (soot) fuel. Due to the fact that the humidity of the surrounding air is less than the trace, the condensed or sublimated water particles evaporate and the trace disappears over time.

Thus, the possibility of appearance and the time of existence of the contrail, as well as its form, depend on humidity and temperature. environment.

If the surrounding air is dry, then further evaporation of droplet-liquid water occurs, and the condensation trail quickly dissipates. If the atmosphere is saturated with moisture (relative humidity is close to 100%), then the phenomenon can exist for a long time. Under conditions of an atmosphere oversaturated with moisture, the contrail is stable, gradually increases in volume, and ultimately contributes to the formation of a layer of cirrus clouds.

• At low humidity and relatively high temperatures, the trace may be absent altogether.
• The higher the humidity and the lower the temperature, the more moisture condenses (sublimes), the richer and longer the trail. And it can exist for a long time.
• And at a humidity close to 100% and low temperature, it condenses the largest number water vapor, high humidity prevents the trace particles from evaporating, which leads to the formation of condensation traces that can exist for a long time. Those. under conditions of a supersaturated atmosphere, the contrail is stable, gradually increases in volume, and ultimately contributes to the formation of a layer of cirrus clouds.

Contrails are formed not only at "high" flight altitudes. At the snow (ice) airfield of the Polar Station Scot Amundsen (altitude 2830 m above sea level) - under certain conditions (air temperature minus 50 degrees and below) - this trail is formed already on takeoff or during landing, moreover, behind turboprop aircraft (C-130 "Hercules" from the "Snow Wing" of the US Air Force).

Causes of uneven condensation traces

The uneven distribution of water vapor in the atmosphere is the cause of the same "uneven" footprint. There are several examples of causes of uneven traces:

Wing tip vortex

A flying aircraft leaves behind a perturbed region of the atmosphere called a wake. This wake is formed mainly by the jet streams of the engines and the tip vortices from the wing. Twisting is explained by the difference in pressure on the lower and upper surfaces of the wing. As a result of air flow from the area of ​​high pressure on the lower surface of the wing to the area of ​​low pressure on the upper surface, powerful vortices are formed through its end. The greater the pressure drop and, consequently, the lift force with which the flow acts on the wing, the greater the intensity of the tip vortices. Circumferential speeds in a vortex wake with a diameter of 8-15 m can reach 150 km/h.

Mirage 2000 and F-16C flying at a high angle of attack.

Visualization of the tip vortex was carried out using a tracer-smoke trace generator. Atmospheric disturbances caused by the impact of the vortex wake exist for a long time, gradually fading, reducing the circumferential speed.

As a result of interaction with each other, the vortices gradually descend and diverge.

Observing the contrail of an overflying aircraft, we find that approximately 30-40 seconds after the passage of the aircraft, the contrail begins to change its shape under the influence of the developing vortex wake. At the intersection of the contrail and vortex wakes, very intricate forms appear, which have quite definite patterns.

Number of aircraft engines

Depending on the number of engines and their location on the aircraft, the contrail can be one- or two-lane.

The most frequently repeated modifications of the contrail.
Rice. 5 - two-lane track; On fig. 6 shows the twisting of the contrail under the action of the tip vortex. Rice. 7 and 8 illustrate more bizarre cases of the interaction of a contrail with an end vortex.

Thus, the contrail and its transformation fix the aerodynamic processes that accompany the flight of the aircraft.

Separated-vortex flows

When performing maneuvers at high angles of attack (20° or more), the nature of the flow around the surfaces of the aircraft changes dramatically. Separated areas are formed on the upper surface of the wing and fuselage, in which, due to a decrease in pressure, conditions arise for the condensation of atmospheric moisture. Thanks to this, it is possible to observe the flight of the aircraft without tracers.

Su-21 fighter in a cloud halo formed on the upper surface of the airframe when flying at a high angle of attack (left). The appearance of a vortex bundle and a separation region on the wing surface of a B-1A bomber. (Right)

Bright trace of afterburner

The engines of modern fighter aircraft are equipped with supersonic variable nozzles. As a rule, in the afterburner mode of operation of the engine, the pressure at the nozzle exit exceeds the ambient air pressure. At a considerable distance from the nozzle exit, the pressure in the jet and in the atmosphere should equalize. As the distance from the nozzle exit increases, the pressure in the jet decreases and the gas velocity increases. The cross section of the jet increases, which is shown schematically in the figure below.

By inertia, the gas continues to expand, and in the widest section of the jet, the pressure becomes lower than atmospheric pressure. After that, the jet begins to narrow, the pressure in it approaches atmospheric pressure, and the velocity decreases accordingly. The deceleration of the supersonic flow leads to the appearance of a direct shock wave. As a result, in some part of the jet, the velocities become subsonic, and the pressure, correspondingly, becomes higher than atmospheric pressure. As can be seen, the shape of the jet becomes barrel-shaped. Then the process is repeated.

The gas jet has a temperature of more than 2000 °K, so its glow makes visible the processes that occur during its expiration. Regions of bright glow are visible in those places of the jet where direct shocks are formed.

Output

Thus, we can conclude that the long time of existence of the contrail depends on a number of natural causes and this does not make it "special". It does not depend directly on the flight altitude, but is determined only by environmental parameters (temperature, humidity and wind speed).

A "grid" of contrails can be formed during the long-term existence of a contrail due to the specifics of the location of airways (this can be clearly seen in the list and diagrams of airways for your region or country).

Based on the foregoing, barium salts found on earth, various substances of organic origin, etc., from contact with which the state of health allegedly deteriorates, are not associated with the phenomenon of a condensation trail and have other reasons, the search for which is beyond the scope of this article.

Thanks for the advice to the candidate technical sciences, teacher of the Military Academy Viktor V.

On a clear, fine day in a cloudless sky, one can often observe how a long white tail forms behind a plane flying at high altitude, which gradually expands due to turbulence, and then blurs, although sometimes it can reach many kilometers in length. If the aircraft is multi-engine, then it leaves behind as many parallel strips as there are engines installed, and those strips merge far from immediately. Aviators then call this phenomenon a contrail, although in fact it was worth talking about a contrail.

Anyone who has read or even skimmed through the previous pages may be surprised: well, what's the secret here? It's just that in this layer of air there is not enough of those, well, whatever they are, condensation nuclei, and in the engine exhaust, perhaps, there are more than enough of them, which is why atmospheric moisture condenses on them. The answer is not entirely correct. Indeed, prolonged rains can significantly “wash out” the atmosphere, but I specifically emphasized that we are talking about sunny weather. Therefore, condensation nuclei are few 6 to be quite enough. The thing is different: during anticyclones (namely, such weather is typical for them), temperature inversion very often occurs, that is, the usual gradual drop in air temperature with height at a certain height can change to its increase. And this means that the moisture present in the atmosphere in this layer may not be enough to form saturation (especially, saturation) necessary for the operation of the nuclei. Where, then, does the contrail come from? But the fact is that during the combustion of fuel (regardless, in a piston or turbojet engine), two grams of water is formed from each gram of it. How can this be, where does the “extra” gram come from? The answer is simple: from the air. After all, the process of burning hydrocarbon fuels (gasoline, kerosene) is the addition of oxygen, resulting in the formation of water vapor, carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide, some soot and lots and lots of heat. Hot gas mixture mechanical work(piston movement or turbine rotation), breaks out through the exhaust pipe. Superheated water vapor, once in a cold atmosphere, acquires such high degree saturation, instantly condenses not only on hygroscopic nuclei, but also on soot particles, forming a jet of thick fog, which begins almost at the very edge of the exhaust pipe. The length of this jet depends on several reasons: on the moisture content in this layer of the atmosphere (the closer it is to the saturation state, the longer the wake remains), on the ratio of the scales of turbulent movements present in the undisturbed atmosphere and additionally generated by the passage of an aircraft, the existence of convective flows, and the fact similar. During the flight, the aircraft may cross areas with low moisture content, then it should become choppy.

These are the thoughts that involuntarily flashed through my head at the sight of four parallel white-white stripes against a background of bright blue sky left behind by the airliner.

See the invisible... Contrail, Prandtl-Gloert effect and other interesting things.

After all, we cannot see even the simplest thing, the movement of air. Air is a gas, and this gas is transparent, that says it all

But still, nature took a little pity on us and gave us a little opportunity to improve the situation. And this possibility is to make a transparent medium opaque or at least colored. In a buzzword, visualize, writes Yuri

As for color, we can do it ourselves (although not always and not everywhere, but we can), for example, use smoke (preferably colored). And as for the usual opacity, here nature helps us itself.

The most opaque thing in the atmosphere is clouds, that is, moisture that has condensed from the air. It is this very process of condensation that allows us, albeit indirectly, but still quite clearly to see some of the processes that occur during the interaction of an aircraft with the air.

A little about condensation. When it occurs, that is, when the water in the air becomes visible. Water vapor can accumulate in the air up to a certain level, called the saturation level. It's something like brine in a jar of water.

Salt in this water will dissolve only up to a certain level, and then saturation occurs and the dissolution stops. I tried this many times as a child.

The saturation level of the atmosphere with water vapor is determined by the dew point. This is the air temperature at which the water vapor in it reaches saturation. This state (that is, this dew point) corresponds to a certain constant pressure and a certain humidity.

When the atmosphere in some of its areas reaches a state of supersaturation, that is, there is too much steam for these conditions, then condensation occurs in this area.

That is, water is released in the form of tiny droplets (or immediately ice crystals, if the ambient temperature is very low) and becomes visible. Just what we need.

For this to happen, it is necessary either to increase the amount of water in the atmosphere, which means to increase humidity, or to lower the temperature of the surrounding air below the dew point. In both cases, excess steam will be released in the form of condensed moisture and we will see a white fog (or something like that).

That is, as is already clear, in the atmosphere this process may or may not take place. It all depends on local conditions.

That is, this requires humidity not lower than a certain value, a certain temperature and pressure corresponding to it. But if all these conditions correspond to each other, we can sometimes observe quite interesting phenomena. However, first things first.

The first is the well-known contrail. This name comes from the meteorological term inversion (coup), or rather temperature inversion, when with increasing altitude the local air temperature does not fall, but rises (it happens).

Such a phenomenon may contribute to the formation of fog (or clouds), but it is inherently unsuitable for an aircraft trail and is considered obsolete. Now it's better to say contrail. Well, that's right, the essence here is precisely in condensation.

The plume of gas escaping from aircraft engines contains enough moisture to raise the local dew point in the air directly behind the engines. And, if it becomes higher than the ambient temperature, then condensation occurs during cooling.

It is facilitated by the presence of so-called condensation centers, around which moisture is concentrated from supersaturated (unstable, one might say) air. These centers are particles of soot or unburned fuel flying out of the engine.

If the ambient temperature is low enough (below 30-40°C), then the so-called sublimation occurs. That is, steam, bypassing the liquid phase, immediately turns into ice crystals. Depending on atmospheric conditions and interaction with the wake trailing the aircraft, contrail (condensation) trail can take on various, sometimes rather bizarre forms.

The video shows education contrail (condensation) trace, filmed from the aft cockpit of the aircraft (it seems to be a TU-16, although I'm not sure). The trunks of the stern firing system (guns) are visible.

The second thing to be said is vortex bundles. This is a serious phenomenon, directly related to inductive resistance, and, of course, it would be nice to somehow visualize it.

We have already seen some of this. I'm referring to the video shown in the referenced article showing the use of smoke on a ground installation.

However, the same can be done in the air. And at the same time get amazing spectacular views. The fact is that many military aircraft, especially heavy bombers, transporters, and helicopters, have on board the so-called passive means of protection. These are, for example, false thermal targets (LTTs).

Many combat missiles capable of attacking aircraft(both ground-to-air and air-to-air) have infrared homing heads. That is, they react to heat. Most often this is the heat of the aircraft engine.

So, LTCs have a temperature much higher than the temperature of the engine, and the rocket, during its movement, deviates to this false target, while the plane (or helicopter) remains intact.

But this is so, for a general acquaintance. The main thing here is that the LTCs shoot back at in large numbers, and each of them (representing a miniature rocket) leaves behind a smoke trail.

And, behold, many of these traces, uniting and twisting into vortex bundles, visualize them and create sometimes stunningly beautiful pictures. One of the most famous is the "Smoky Angel". It turned out when the LTC fired a Boeing C-17 Globemaster III transport aircraft.

In fairness, it should be said that other aircraft are also quite good artists ...

But, vortex bundles can be seen without the use of smoke. Condensation of atmospheric vapor will help us here as well. As we already know, the air in the bundle gets rotary motion and, thereby moving from the center of the bundle to its periphery.

This causes the temperature in the center of the bundle to expand and fall, and if the air humidity is high enough, conditions can be created for moisture to condense.

Then we can see the vortex bundles with our own eyes. This possibility depends both on atmospheric conditions and on the parameters of the aircraft itself.

And the greater the angles of attack at which the plane flies, the vortex bundles are more intense and their visualization due to condensation is more likely. This is especially typical for maneuverable fighters, and also shows up well on extended flaps.

By the way, exactly the same kind of atmospheric conditions make it possible to see the vortex bundles formed at the ends of the blades (which in this situation are the same wings) of the turboprop or piston engines of some aircraft. It's also a pretty impressive picture.

Of the above videos, a video with Yak-52 aircraft is typical. It is obviously raining and the humidity is thus high.

Often there is an interaction of vortex bundles with inversion (condensation) trail, and then the pictures can be quite bizarre.

Now the next. I have already mentioned this before, but it is not a sin to say it again. lifting force. As my ever-memorable comrade would joke: “Where is she?! Who saw her? Yes, no one. But indirect confirmation can still be seen.

Most often, this opportunity is provided at some kind of air show. Aircraft performing various, rather extreme evolutions of course operate with large amounts of lift generated on their bearing surfaces.
But a large lifting force, most often means big fall pressure (and hence temperature) in the area above the wing, which, as we already know, under certain conditions can cause condensation of atmospheric water vapor, and then we will see for ourselves that there are conditions for creating lift ....

To illustrate what has been said about vortex bundles and lift, there is a good video:

In the following video, these processes are filmed during landing from the passenger cabin of the aircraft:

However, in fairness, it must be said that this phenomenon in visual terms can be combined with Prandtl-Gloert effect(in fact, this is, in general, he is).

The name is scary, but the principle is the same, and the visual effect is significant...

The essence of this phenomenon lies in the fact that a cloud of condensed water vapor can form behind an aircraft (most often an airplane) moving at a high speed (quite close to the speed of sound).

This happens due to the fact that when the aircraft moves, it seems to move the air in front of it and, thereby, creates an area of ​​​​high pressure in front of it and an area of ​​​​low pressure behind it.

After the flight, the air begins to fill this area with low pressure from the nearby space, and thus, in this space, its volume increases, and the temperature drops.

And if at the same time there is sufficient air humidity, and the temperature drops below the dew point, then steam condenses and a small cloud appears.

It usually exists for a short time. When the pressure equalizes, the local temperature rises and the condensed moisture evaporates again.

Often, when such a cloud appears, they say that the plane passes the sound barrier, that is, it goes over to supersonic. Actually this is not true. Prandtl-Gloert effect, that is, the possibility of condensation depends on the humidity of the air and its local temperature, as well as on the speed of the aircraft.

Most often, this phenomenon is typical for transonic speeds (with relatively low humidity), but it can also occur at relatively low speeds with high air humidity and at low altitudes, especially above the water surface.

However, the shallow cone shape that condensation clouds often have when moving at high speeds nevertheless often results from the presence of so-called local shock waves that form at high subsonic and supersonic speeds.

I also can't help but think of my favorite turbojet engines. Condensation and here allows you to see something interesting. When the engine is running on the ground at high speeds and sufficient humidity, you can see “air entering the engine”

Not really, of course. It's just that the engine intensively sucks in air and some vacuum is formed at the inlet, as a result of a drop in temperature, due to which water vapor condenses.

In addition, there is often vortex bundle, because the inlet air is swirled by the impeller of the compressor (fan). In the tourniquet, for reasons already known to us, moisture also condenses and it becomes visible. All these processes are clearly visible on the video.

Well, in conclusion, I will give another very interesting, in my opinion, example. It is no longer associated with the condensation of steam and we will not need colored smoke here. However, even without this, nature clearly illustrates its laws.

All of us have repeatedly observed how numerous flocks of birds fly south in the fall, and then return to their native places in the spring. At the same time, large heavy birds, such as geese (I'm not talking about swans) usually fly in an interesting formation, in a wedge. The leader goes in front, and the rest of the birds diverge to the right and left along the oblique line. Moreover, each subsequent one flies to the right (or to the left) ahead of the flying one. Ever wondered why they fly the way they do?

It turns out that this is directly related to our topic. A bird is also a kind of aircraft, and behind its wings are formed approximately the same swirl cords, as well as behind the wing of the aircraft. They also rotate (the axis of horizontal rotation passes through the ends of the wings), having the direction of rotation downwards behind the body of the bird, and upwards behind the tips of its wings.

That is, it turns out that a bird flying behind and to the right (to the left) falls into the rotational upward movement of air. This air, as it were, supports her and it is easier for her to stay on top.

She uses less energy. This is very important for those flocks that overcome long distances. Birds get tired less and can fly farther. Only leaders do not have such support. And that is why they periodically change, becoming the end of the wedge for rest.

Canada geese are often cited as a model for this kind of behavior. It is believed that in this way they save up to 70% of their forces during long-distance flights “in a team”, significantly increasing the efficiency of flights.

This is another way of indirect, but quite visual visualization of aerodynamic processes.

Our nature is quite complicated and very expediently arranged and periodically reminds us of this. A person can only not forget this and learn from her that vast experience that she generously shares with us. The main thing here is just not to overdo it and do no harm ...

And at the end of the video about Canadian geese.

Oct 26, 2016 Galinka

Sometimes we see how the tracks from the planes - white traces in the sky - hang in the air for several hours, sometimes even days. Is this normal and are non-dissipating white marks safe?

Editorial response

While most people do not attach any importance to this, part of the world's population is convinced that these are not ordinary condensation trails that jet engines leave at high altitudes, but signs of some kind of chemical aerosol being sprayed into the air. And the composition of this aerosol, as theorists suspect, can include everything from pesticides to viruses developed in laboratories.

What are "chemtrails"

The word "chemtrails" (tracing paper from the English "chemtrails" - chemical traces) was invented in order to denote special, atypical traces that jet planes draw in the sky. Regular trails - the white trail left behind by a jet flying at high altitude - dissolve within a few minutes of appearing. Chemtrails, on the other hand, do not disappear for several hours, sometimes they can hang in the sky for up to two days, gradually blurring and turning into thin, translucent elongated clouds, which do not normally exist in nature. Often in the sky you can observe a whole grid of non-disappearing aviation traces. Conspiracy theorists are convinced that through chemtrails " world government sprays chemicals into the planet's atmosphere that will make the climate more susceptible to weather weapons. By the way, in the USA there is a huge fleet of Boeing KS-135 Stratotanker aircraft, which, being equipped with spray equipment, is outwardly indistinguishable from passenger Boeings.

Who needs it

In the West, the story of chemtrails is believed to have begun with the publication in 1996 of Climate as a Power Amplifier: Owning the Weather by 2025. Signed by seven US military personnel ranging from Major to Colonel, this research laid the foundation for American military doctrine in the 21st century. The essence of the new concept is that from now on, nuclear weapons are not only not considered the main ones, but are also transferred to the bench. In the 2000s, the United States did not experience any atomic bomb, and the role of the planetary scarecrow now belongs to the climate weapon.

What's happenedHAARP

This English abbreviation refers to the High Frequency Aurora Research Program. The HAARP complex, located in Alaska, is almost similar to the Russian Sura complex, with the only difference being that the domestic complex can only explore the ionosphere, while HAARP can both explore and modify it. And thanks to this, the seemingly research complex can be an effective climate weapon.

During one of the first launches, the HAARP system demonstrated that using a beam of high frequency energy directed into the sky, unusual weather phenomena can be created - for example, types of clouds that do not exist in nature, as well as rains, droughts and earthquakes. However, in order for the system to have something to work with, certain chemicals must be present in the atmosphere. So, HAARP was able to create experimental clouds only after two spray aircraft created a cloud over the base, consisting of weakly radioactive barium salts.

What's the connection with us

Today, long non-disappearing air trails are observed by people around the world. And National Geographic magazine even devoted an entire film to chemtrails. It is interesting that chemtrails are complained not only outside the United States, but also in the States themselves. For example, in 2004, a group of residents of the Hawaiian archipelago made a horrifying statement. In their opinion, the composition of aerosols sprayed over their islands, among other things, includes aluminum salts. Ordinary terrestrial flora perishes upon contact with the substance of such an aerosol: the bark of palm trees cracks and loses its strength, and the wood almost turns into a liquid. Why would anyone need such vandalism? It turns out that the American supercorporation Monsanto has been courting the Hawaiian Islands for a long time. Hawaiians are convinced that by spraying aluminum aerosols over the islands, unknown forces are trying to force the inhabitants of the archipelago to buy aluminum-resistant plant seedlings from Monsanto.

Health Threat

Of course, to trust the forces that allow themselves to modify chemical composition atmosphere, no one wants. And there are serious allegations against the mysterious sprayers: researchers and simply concerned citizens all over the world suspect that new strains of influenza, SARS and epizootic viruses are likely to enter the atmosphere after spraying. But in order to thoroughly study the phenomenon and confirm or refute these assumptions with confidence, it is necessary to take the material of the condensation trail for analysis. And this requires a specially equipped aircraft laboratory.

Why club. Why does the plane leave a trail?

Often raising our heads to the sky, we see a white stripe on it from a flying plane. The trail it leaves behind is called condensation. By the way, we often call it a contrail, but on Wikipedia opposite "contrail" there is a note "obsolete name". Therefore, I will use the term "condensation". In addition, this name is "speaking" - in this very name lies the answer to the question of what it is. (Invite the child to name more examples of "talking" names, for example, an airplane, a samovar, a triangle. If the child is familiar with Latin roots, then you can remember both a telescope and a microphone, etc.).

An airplane wake is called a "condensation trail" because it results from condensation. Ask the baby if he knows what "condensation" is? Hardly many children preschool age will be able to answer this question. Then let's ask in a different way: has the kid ever seen how windows in a car fog up in winter? Does he like to draw funny faces on the misted window with his finger? Has your child ever seen the bathroom mirror dripping after someone took a hot shower? This phenomenon is condensation.

This is the name given to the transition of a vapor to a liquid state. For it to happen, you need three components: moist air, condensation nuclei (any dust particles in the air) and a temperature difference. For example, what happens in our bathroom: there is moist air, there are dust particles in the air, there is a temperature drop when warm air comes into contact with the cold glass of the mirror! So there will be condensation.

Let's make a condensate right now. To do this, you just need to pour water into a bottle and put it in the freezer for 15-20 minutes. When the water has cooled, you need to get it and hold it at room temperature. On the surface of the bottle, small droplets immediately form - condensate. If you keep the bottle warm longer, then the drops will begin to increase and flow down the walls. These are water vapors that are in the room air, when they come into contact with a cold bottle, they fall on it in drops.

Where else can we see condensation? That's right - it's ordinary dew! Does the baby remember how he saw small droplets on the grass in the early morning? Now he can explain where they came from. Was there humid air? Were there condensation nuclei? Was there a temperature difference between the cold night air and the warm surface of the earth? Here, water vapor from the air turned into water droplets - and dew turned out. Even there is such a term "dew point". It just indicates the temperature below which water vapor turns into drops.

Dew. Photo from Wikipedia

Now let's get back to the plane. As an aircraft flies, jets of hot steam and gases from spent fuel escape from its engines. Getting into cold air (and at the altitude at which planes usually fly, the temperature is about -40 degrees, more about this in the issue of how clouds form), the steam condenses around the particles of burning fuel and tiny droplets, like fog, are obtained, which and form a streak in the sky. We can say that it turns out a kind of man-made long cloud. Over time, it will dissipate or become part of the cirrus clouds.

You can predict the weather from the trail of an airplane. If the trail is long and lasts a long time, then the air is humid and it may rain, if it is short and quickly dissipates, then it will be dry and clear. My daughter Katya and I decided to keep a diary of observations and check how accurate such a forecast could be. Join our experiment!

By the way, the contrails of aircraft can affect the Earth's climate. If you look at the Earth from a satellite, you can see that in those areas where planes often fly, the entire sky is covered with their traces. Some scientists believe that this is good - the traces increase the reflective properties of the atmosphere, thereby preventing the sun's rays from reaching the Earth's surface. Thus, it is possible to reduce the temperature of the earth's atmosphere and prevent global warming. Others believe that it is bad - cirrus clouds arising from the condensation trail prevent the atmosphere from cooling, thereby causing it to warm. Who is right and who is wrong, time will tell.

My Katya loves to watch airplane flights while walking. And she always wants to know where and from where they fly. It's good that the network has a service that shows in real time all the planes in flight around the world. Its address is http://www.flightradar24.com. After all, it is so interesting to look out the window, see a white stripe of a condensation trail, and immediately determine what left it, for example, Airbus A330-322, owned by I-Fly, and flying from Hurghada to Moscow.

Screenshot of the aircraft tracking program

There is even such a fashionable hobby - aviation spotting (from the English "spot" - "to see", "to identify"). It consists in the fact that people observe the flights of aircraft (usually near airports), determine their types, maintain registers, photograph takeoffs and landings.
If your city has an airport, I suggest, if not spotting, then just go on a tour there. Walk around the terminal building, find out where they buy plane tickets, how they check in and receive luggage, how they go through customs control. Escort and meet several planes, look at the faces of people who have just returned from the sky. And even if you yourself are not going to fly anywhere yet, you will feel like a little traveler.
We sometimes go to the Simferopol airport if the weather is bad outside and walking in the fresh air is unpleasant. And children are always delighted with such a pastime. And in our city, air shows are periodically organized. This is where you can not only watch, but also touch the plane and even sit in its cockpit.

And at the end of the issue, I want to offer you to try your hand at creating paper airplanes using the origami technique. Even if your kid already knows how to make the well-known model of the Strela aircraft, then there are many other models. (I once posted 21 schemes for airplanes on the blog). Take the resulting airplanes with you for a walk and arrange competitions. Which plane is the most beautiful? Which one flies the farthest? Which one is planning in the air longer than others? I am sure that not only boys and girls will like flying airplanes, but even their moms and dads. I hope Danya will also be interested in this lesson :)