Contrails everywhere
Contrails everywhere
(OP)
Why do people call a rocket's exhaust plume a "contrail". Contrail is derived from condesation trail formed by condensation of water drops or ice within an aircraft's exhaust at particular weather conditions. Rockets don't have condensation trails (or at least it is not a significant portion of its plume). What you see coming out of the tail of a rocket is the actual exhaust itself, not water condensing within it. So, what's that about?
Matt Lorono
CAD Engineer/ECN Analyst
Silicon Valley, CA
Lorono's SolidWorks Resources
Co-moderator of Solidworks Yahoo! Group
and Mechnical.Engineering Yahoo! Group





RE: Contrails everywhere
RE: Contrails everywhere
- Steve
RE: Contrails everywhere
RE: Contrails everywhere
Even Joni Mitchell did:
I was driving across the burning desert
When I spotted six jet planes
Leaving six white vapour trails
Across the bleak terrain
It was the hexagram of the heavens
It was the strings of my guitar
Amelia, it was just a false alarm
RE: Contrails everywhere
RE: Contrails everywhere
KENAT, probably the least qualified checker you'll ever meet...
RE: Contrails everywhere
If you "heard" it on the internet, it's guilty until proven innocent. - DCS
RE: Contrails everywhere
- Steve
RE: Contrails everywhere
KENAT, probably the least qualified checker you'll ever meet...
RE: Contrails everywhere
Matt Lorono
CAD Engineer/ECN Analyst
Silicon Valley, CA
Lorono's SolidWorks Resources
Co-moderator of Solidworks Yahoo! Group
and Mechnical.Engineering Yahoo! Group
RE: Contrails everywhere
um, don't jet planes chemically produce water as a component of the exhaust (as a major biproduct of the combustion of hydrocarbon-based fuel)?
RE: Contrails everywhere
I'd be willing to bet (a lot) that it did. And even if it didn't, that some condensation of some chemical species was ocurring in order to create a visible plume.
"don't jet planes chemically produce water as a component of the exhaust "
Yes. Which is why gliders generally don't produce contrails...excepting when they are on fire...
RE: Contrails everywhere
Look out the window the next time you are in a plane. If conditions are correct, there can be lots of mini contrails formed - vortex generators at various places on the wing, the wing end vortex, at the end of flaps and ailerons.
Race cars with wings can also form contrails in the wing vortex.
And, the white stuff coming out of the top of a cooling tower isn't steam, it's also condensation.
RE: Contrails everywhere
It went supersonic and you could see the shock patterns, as condensation.
It was way cool.
(Sorry, that sounded a bit too spotter ish didn't it)
KENAT, probably the least qualified checker you'll ever meet...
RE: Contrails everywhere
http://vid
KENAT, probably the least qualified checker you'll ever meet...