Von Kármán Vortices - Canary Islands
This image shows a series of eddies, known as Von Kármán vortices, leeward of the Canary Islands. The phenomenon was first described by Theodore Von Kármán, who was a co-founder of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Satellites are particularly useful for seeing these vortex streets. Von Kármán vortices will normally form in any region where fluid flow is disturbed by an object - in this case, the islands. You can read a more detailed description in our image library.
Image captured at 10:25 (UTC) on 21 July 2014, by the AVHRR instrument aboard EUMETSAT's Metop Polar Orbiting satellite.
Image free to use, providing the following attribution statement is displayed "Copyright: 2014 EUMETSAT"
Von Kármán Vortices - Canary Islands
This image shows a series of eddies, known as Von Kármán vortices, leeward of the Canary Islands. The phenomenon was first described by Theodore Von Kármán, who was a co-founder of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Satellites are particularly useful for seeing these vortex streets. Von Kármán vortices will normally form in any region where fluid flow is disturbed by an object - in this case, the islands. You can read a more detailed description in our image library.
Image captured at 10:25 (UTC) on 21 July 2014, by the AVHRR instrument aboard EUMETSAT's Metop Polar Orbiting satellite.
Image free to use, providing the following attribution statement is displayed "Copyright: 2014 EUMETSAT"