Canon EOS 5D
ƒ/8
400 mm
1/4,000
800

Dust devils form when extremely hot air near the surface rises quickly through a small pocket of cooler low pressure air above it. If conditions are just right, the air may begin to rotate. As more hot air rushes in toward the developing vortex to replace the air that is rising, the spinning effect becomes further intensified and self-sustaining. A dust devil, fully formed, is a funnel-like chimney through which hot air moves both upwardly and circularly. Eventually the hot air will cool and descend back through the center of the vortex. This cool air returning acts as a balance against the spinning hot air outer wall and keeps the system stable. (from wikipedia)

9 responses to “Dust Devils Dance”

  1. A dirt devil! Nice to look at until it crosses the road over your car.

  2. Kapitan Tziaak – I know what you mean. I inadvertently drove through a dust devil out in the Arizona desert once. I didn’t lose control of the car, but I got a quick shock when it jostled the car.

  3. Is there still that mist tornado installation at SFO? I used to watch that thing for hours.

  4. Excellent shot and interesting commentary.

  5. in this case a man-made mini tornado!

  6. we don´t have those in Buenos Aires… dammit.

    😀

  7. I have the same in my "garden".. ok..my "HiddenGarden 😛

    More "Devils Dance" from MARS :
    Devil dust Mars1 (Credit NASA..)

    Devil dust Mars2 (NASA’s Mars rover Spirit catches a bevy of dust devils race across Gusev Crater. Credit: NASA/JPL/Cornell)

    Press Releases 10 July 2007 Wild Weather: Earth vs. Mars (space.com)

    "In just two weeks, dust storms have obscured more than 10 million square miles of Mars’ southern hemisphere.

    The storms forced NASA to suspend operations of its twin Mars rovers. The biggest storm has weakened near the Opportunity rover and thickened near Spirit’s location. Both rovers are gathering enough solar energy to survive and observe their surroundings."

  8. very interesting! Wow, they are having an intense summer too…

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