Kelvin Helmholtz
Perhaps you have come across them, maybe you are seeing them for the first time. These clouds, known as wave clouds, resemble ocean waves rolling at equal intervals and are one of the rare types. It is believed that these clouds with their mesmerizing appearance inspired the swirls we see in Vincent Van Gogh's painting "Starry Night." So, how does this type of cloud form? They arise when two different layers of air in our atmosphere move at different speeds and occur when there is a strong vertical shear between the two air currents, causing the winds to blow faster at upper levels than at lower levels. These clouds take their name from physicists Hermann von Helmholtz and William Thomson, Lord Kelvin, who studied turbulent air flow. Kelvin-Helmholtz instability is a scientific phenomenon not only associated with clouds. It can occur wherever there is a difference in speed along the interface between two fluids. The most prominent example is the wind blowing faster air over slower-moving water, creating waves on the surface.
Glossary
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