How can a human body create such effects on a freezing cold winter day?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the phenomenon of a human body seemingly creating a snow whirlwind or cocoon effect on a freezing cold winter day. Participants explore the physical parameters and conditions necessary for such an occurrence, considering both realistic and fantastical explanations.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • One participant describes observing a snow whirlwind around a person and questions the outer parameters of a human body that could create such effects in cold weather.
  • Another participant suggests that the phenomenon could be analogous to a dust devil, with the human body acting as a heat source in cold air, potentially lifting dry snow.
  • A different viewpoint argues that it is impossible for a human body to create such effects, suggesting that the scenario might be more magical than physical, especially in cold conditions where wind would not be desirable.
  • Some participants seek clarification on whether the original text is from a novel and express interest in a realistic explanation of the physical conditions that could lead to such an effect.
  • There is a discussion about the limitations of conditions necessary for phenomena like dust devils, noting that they do not occur in colder climates like Antarctica due to insufficient warmth and moisture.
  • One participant expresses curiosity about the level of proof required to demonstrate that the described phenomenon cannot happen, indicating a desire for a more rigorous examination of the claims.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a range of views, with some proposing potential physical explanations while others assert that the scenario is implausible. No consensus is reached regarding the feasibility of the phenomenon described.

Contextual Notes

Participants note the dependence on specific environmental conditions and the challenges in reconciling the described effects with known physical principles. There are unresolved questions about the nature of the original text and its implications for the discussion.

SPL
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I was in doubt if this is the right chapter to place this thread, but it seems there are many talents just here.

"we were observing from a decent distance through optics. The weather was frosty, clear, calm. When хххххх appeared from under the arch of the house (he was хххххххх to walk to the entrance), a snow whirlwind-cocoon (!) whirled around him, in which he reached the entrance !"

From this excerpt, what should be the outer parameters of a human body to create such effects on a freezing cold winter day?
 
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SPL said:
what should be the outer parameters of a human body to create such effects on a freezing cold winter day?
Nope. It's magic.

Human body just does not have what it takes to create anything even just similar. Maybe if that walk took place in liquid methane or something like that...

Likely, the author wanted to hint some kind of protective field, but in any real environment it's a complete failure. In a cold day (cold, since it brings snow) wind is exactly the least thing anybody would wish around himself- so this 'protection' is actually some really sophisticated masochism, worst case: suicide.

So, just take it as magic.
 
SPL said:
I was in doubt if this is the right chapter to place this thread, but it seems there are many talents just here.
There are many talents, but some context always helps, @SPL :wink:

Is this a paragraph you've written yourself? Or have you read it somewhere?

Either way, what genre of novel is it from? And do you require a realistic phenomena for this, or would some technically sounding handwaving suffice?
 
Melbourne Guy said:
There are many talents, but some context always helps, @SPL :wink:

Is this a paragraph you've written yourself? Or have you read it somewhere?

Either way, what genre of novel is it from? And do you require a realistic phenomena for this, or would some technically sounding handwaving suffice?
No, I didn't write it. And, I am actually interested in explanation in terms of a realistic phenomena. Let's just forget for a second about the human body. What sort of physical conditions might attract either dry snow from the surface, or if this were the case, condense it from the air?
Reverse engineering type of thing...
 
Ibix said:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dust_devil, with the person as the heat source in otherwise cold air, lifting dusty dry snow, maybe?
Yes, I was looking for some answers along these lines. But you don't this happening in winter time all the times. So what conditions would be involved? A human body is electrically neutral, nor it acts as a magnet under known conditions. But, the dust devil, I think is a good analogy.
 
SPL said:
What sort of physical conditions might attract either dry snow from the surface, or if this were the case, condense it from the air?
Apparently, you don't get tornadoes in Antarctica because it is not warm and moist enough, so I'd expect the same constraints would limit smaller 'dust devils' occurring naturally in the conditions cited.

SPL said:
No, I didn't write it.
That's fine, but what genre was this from? You're asking about something that seems physically impossible based on text that seems entirely invented (I presume text, perhaps it's from a film or TV show). What level of proof that it can't happen would satisfy your curiosity, @SPL?
 

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