Can we prevent tornadoes?

DaveC426913

A bit of a flaw in reasoning about how the rotors might extract energy. The LEDs will not work, and are unnecessary.

To power LEDS, the rotors would power a small electic generator. The generator would provide resistance on the rotors. Since the devices are not attached to anything, the rotors would be just as happy to not spin at all, the devices themselves would spin, rotor and all, rather than work against the resistance.

You don't need to convert the energy into any harmless form. Once you extract the energy with any form of resistance at all, (such as flat objects), the tornado won't be able to make use of it.

So what you're really doing is simply tossing inert mass into the tornado, whose inertia alone will extract wind energy.

However, now your tornado becomes a machine gun of 200mph bullets.

Ryan_m_b

Fair enough, this isn't my field but would counter rotating rotors make a difference? I.e one at each pole spinning counter to the other to provide resistance?

Next plan then millions of kamikaze UAVS

Next, next plan....bullet proof houses?

Dotini

http://www.weather.com/outlook/weath...nts_2011-05-23

A senior meteorologist delivers an explosive forecast for the next two days.

"the potential atmospheric setup is at least on par, if not more explosive than that May 3, 1999 event!"

He is discussing detailed atmospheric conditions indicating to him the potential of an F5 tornado in the vicinities of Wichita, Oklahoma City and Tulsa beginning Tuesday, May 24, 2011.

SW VandeCarr

Seriously, the only potentially available strategy that has any possibility of someday being practical is some form of cloud seeding of likely "super cells" before funnel clouds actually form. Even then there are real questions about what agents to use (dry ice?) both for effectiveness and environmental safety. The logistics would also be very tricky. At present this strategy is not very promising. Clouding seeding and tornado prevention is briefly discussed in this link.

http://www.spc.noaa.gov/faq/tornado/

Dotini

@ Charles Chandler: I noticed in section 34 of your paper, you have remarks and images concerning tornadoes with multiple funnels. I further noticed on this evening's tornado coverage on ABC national news a special segment on tornadoes with multiple funnels. They showed good images and video of as many as 3 or 4 funnels on the ground which were writhing closely about each other in a kind of weird dance. Apparently the Joplin F4 had multiple funnels. Apparently many tornadoes may have multiple funnels, but are obscured from easy view. Do such multiple vortexes feed only a single cyclonic cell, or do they each have their own? Such organization and complexity is really impressive.

Respectfully yours,
Steve

dav2008

We have to nuke 'em and we have to nuke 'em now!

artist97

Water. Adding water to a functioning tornado will suck out energy.

How to add it?

Evo

Then how do you explain water spouts?

You do also know that tornadoes form from severe rain storms and hurricanes?

Please do not post without linking to the peer reviewed or scientifically acceptable studies that back you up.

arildno

Since scientific "truths" are only social conventions, I believe the most effective way to eliminate tornadoes is to differentiate "wrongly", so that the Coriolis force disappears.

Very bad force, that one..

artist97

Waterspouts are not as dangerous as terrestrial tornadoes.

Water, added to a "dry" tornado, absorbs energy.

Stop being condescending ; particularly when you have not thought through the response.

Borek

Uh oh.

<takes pop corn and coke>

Evo

Enough nonsense. Post the acceptable scientific sources to back your self up.

Borek, hand me some popcorn.

Some vaild tornado sources.

http://www.spc.noaa.gov/faq/tornado/#Climatology

http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/faq/faq_tor.php

DaveC426913

I have been unable to find a good source (including Evo's links) that says dumping water into a tornado will make it stronger, or that dumping water into it will make it weaker.

While true, tornadoes do form from severe active thunderstorms, I don't know if that is convincing enough to conclude that adding lots of water to one would have an enhancing effect. For example, if the water happened to be cooler (because it is being artificially added, as opposed to being evaporated naturally), it could - at least conceivably - have a diminishing effect.

I'd say the jury is out until someone can quote a good source on it.

artist97

"Post the acceptable scientific sources to back your self up."

(Groan)

The last refuge of the scoundrel is the desire to request references.

Footnote yourself, m'dear.

DaveC426913

No artist, that's PF policy. This is not a board where you can simply speak your mind without backing it up. She is right to request references.

: and then takes one big step away from artist :

artist97

Water, when subjected to the low pressure of a tornado, turns into water vapor.

So a hypothetical tornado that passes over a pond sucks up water, expending energy. The water goes through a state change and becomes a gas.

Does this cool water have an effect on the tornado????

Evo

All right, we're not playing here.

You have three days to find that source.