Scholastic facts on fog

What is a fog ?

Fog is a hydrometeor , that is, a set of water particles, liquid or solid, falling, suspended in the atmosphere or lifted from the earth’s surface by the wind, or deposited on objects in the ground or in the atmosphere free. It produces a visibility of less than 1km. These water particles are not large enough to be precipitated by gravity, so they tend to be suspended. Source

How is it produced?

It forms in situations of absolute stability, when there is an anticyclone present and no wind blows. Occurs when the temperature of the lower layers of the atmosphere is lower than in the high, or what is the same: when it is colder on the beach than in the mountains.

Types of fog

Although we could think that the fog is always the same in all places, the reality is that different types are distinguished:

• Radiation: which is what we see after sunset on a cloudless night, in autumn. It has a thickness of one meter, and lasts little.
• Of earth: it is a fog of radiation, but very superficial. Darkens less than 60% of the sky and does not extend to the base of the clouds.
• Advection: when hot air masses and loaded with moisture pass on cold floors, this type of fog occurs. It is very common on the coasts.
• Steam: appears when cold air passes over warm water. This fog in which we can see in the polar regions.
• Of precipitation: if it is going to rain and the air under the cloud is dry, of sure that our visibility will be reduced.
• Of slope: it is formed when the wind blows against the slope of a mountain.
• Valley: this type of fog is the result of thermal inversion, caused by cold air that remains in the valley, while other warmer air passes over it.
• Ice: occurs when the frozen drops of water are suspended on the ground. It is very common in the polar regions.
• Upward slope: occurs when there is a fall in pressure with altitude. Source Source

Is a fog dangerous for health?

Not at all. It is usually thought that yes, it can cause us some damage, but the truth is that what is fog is not harmful. The air you’re going to breathe, the only difference it has with the one we breathe in any other day is that it concentrates a greater amount of water vapor .

But what you should keep in mind is that those days there will be much more pollution when the wind does not blow, so if you are allergic you may notice that your symptoms get a little worse. And, by the way, if you’re going to take the car, do not be too careful on the road. There is also acid fog which for from too much pollution in the air. Source Source

And, how is fog different from mist?

Basically they differ by observing them. Let me explain: the fog does not allow to see beyond 1km, while the fog itself. In addition, the air when there is a fog bank is sticky and humid , since the relative humidity approaches 100%.

We will also know if it is fog when we can not observe the sun’s rays . The fog, being less dense, will allow us to see them without too many problems; On the other hand, with fog, that will be impossible. Source

Interesting facts about fog

Animals that adapt to fog

The Namib Desert is not known for have much oasis it is one of the driest place on earth. One unique thing about this desert it that its coast is one of the foggiest on Earth. Animals there have learn to adapt to this fog. The darkling beetle is one such animal he climbs to the highest sand dunes put his head in the groundd and  raise his butt in the air allowing fog to condense on his back and run in his mouth. Species of the tenebrionid beetles (Lepidochora) dig trenches to condense the fog and catch its water. Source Source

Microbes use the fog to travel from one place to another

Microbiologist studied fog at two sites that are known to be very foggy Namib Desert in Namibia and Southport Island, Maine. They set petri dishes to catch Microbes in the fog which collected colonies of microbes. The researchers found that the microbes in fog droplets may be more viable than those in air so they choose the fog. The fog brought large numbers of microbes soil microbes that belongs to the ocean inland. None of the microbes were found to be dangerous but as a precautionary it should be avoided. Source Source

In rural and dry area with out fresh water access people catch fog for water

The fog catchers or fog collectors are a system to catch the drops of water microscopic containing the fog . They are used in desert regions with fog, such as the Negev desert in Israel , the Atacama desert in Chile , Ecuador , Guatemala , Peru , Nepal , and some countries in Africa.

Although 91% of the world’s population (6,734 million people) uses an improved source of drinking water, 663 million people lack it . The United Nations Millennium Development Goals were met. Its goal was not to eradicate thirst in the world, but to ensure that at least 88% of the world’s population had access to improved sources by 2015.

But there is still work to be done and the increase in global temperature does not help. Activists, scientists, engineers, anthropologists, geographers and other professionals work around the world looking for solutions to alleviate the lack of water , which lead to results such as CloudFisher. It is a set of meshes, fastened by poles, which capture the small drops of water from the fog and distribute them downwards, where a collecting system accumulates them. Thinking about fog as a water source is not a novelty, but the system developed in CloudFisher and installed in the south-west of Morocco has perfected a method also used in remote areas of Peru, Bolivia or Chile. Source Source

Great importance for the enemy during World War II …

During World War II, the Office of Censorship was set up ,weather reports were always censored to prevent enemy submarines from reading the weather conditions. In a football match in Chicago, it was so covered in fog that the radio announcer could not even see the field, but then he was officially thanked by the Office of Censorship for never using the word “fog” or mentioning the weather as a whole. source

Mosquitos can fly through rain drops but cannot fly through fog

Researchers from the Georgia Institute of Technology found that fog and rain effects mosquito differently. A Mosquito is hit by raindrops every 20 second which for the mosquito is like being hit by a car. A fog particle is 20 million times smaller than a mosquito but makes it hard or impossible for this insect to fly. What the researchers observed is that the mosquitoes were able to lift their bodies off the ground but because fog is continuous and inescapable the mosquitos are unable to maintain an upright position required for sustainable flight. Source

Talk about the snap…
During a football match in the UK, which was interrupted shortly after it started due to heavy fog, all players and spectators left, except goalkeeper Sam Bartram , who did not hear when the referee whistled the match. Bartram continued to guard his goal in silence for 15 minutes before a police officer came and told him about the blow-off. [source]

The foggiest places in the world

• Po Valley – Italy.
• Swiss Plateau – Switzerland. …
• Namib Desert – Africa. …
• Mistake Island – Maine. …
• San Francisco – California. …
• Cape Disappointment – Washington. …
• Point Reyes – California. …
• Hamilton – New Zealand. …

Think what a little fog and luck can accomplish …

The
elevator operator Betty Oliver survived a 75-storey fall from the US Empire State Building in 1945 when a B25 plane crashed into the building due to thick fog. Three crew members and 11 people in the building died. Betty – who died in 1999– still holds the Guinness world record for the highest survived lifts. [source]

The Golden Gate Bridge could have looked quite different …

The
Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco would not originally be painted in the orange color it currently carries. The orange color was only intended to be used as a sealant and would then be painted over with  black and yellow stripesto ensure visibility of passing ships. The orange color worked better when fog occurred, so it was retained instead. [source]

Expensive and environmentally silly – but effective …

During the Second World War, Britain needed a way to clear the fog from its airfields. They then developed the FIDO system, which meant that they pumped gasoline down the edges of the track and then lit fire to evaporate the fog. However, it was an expensive system, where over 45,000 liters of fuel were burned per hour, and glow from the flames could be seen at over 10 miles away. [source]

The Tenerife disaster the worst deadliest aircraft accident in history

Tenerife disaster is the deadliest accident in aviation history, with over 583 deaths, where two 747 aircraft collided on the runway due to unclear communication, radio interference and heavy fog. [source]

Strange natural phenomena …

The famous Garûa fog near the coast to Chile and Peru is different from other fogs it is so transparent that it is not creating any problems for visibility, but so wet that the drivers have to use their windshield wiperst to get whoere they are going . [source]

When you think you have heard everything …
There is avodkathat is literallymadeoffog. It is a San Francisco-based company that has created the vodka, wherewaterfrom the fog isabsorbed. [source]

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