I was watching some tornado footage.... - Striper Talk Striped Bass Fishing, Surfcasting, Boating

FishermanTim · 05-25-2011, 12:44 PM

this morning, and thought to myself "I can't think of anyone who survived THAT and wasn't scared to death."

It got me thinking: We have plenty of storm chasers, willing to risk their lives in the quest for knowledge (and killer video) yet why hasn't there been any drive in possibly disrupting or de-stabilizing the vortex of a tornado?
Since they are derived directly from air masses, wouldn't it make sense to see if you could interrupt the air flow somehow?
Picture water draining from a tub. The whirlpool that is created is a vortex. If you interrupt that flow of water, or de-stabilize the rotation of the whirlpool, it collapses.
Why hasn't anyone thought of addressing this aspect of this weather phenominum?
Even if you were able to decrease the wind speed inside the vortex, it would definitely minimize the amount of damage.

Sorry, it's just my "inner geek" coming out.
Maybe I watch too much sci-fi, but who knows what is possible?

UserRemoved · 05-25-2011, 01:09 PM

you couldn't put something into a tornado big enough to slow down the wind. Next time you drive down the highway stick a 12x12 plate out the window at 65mph and see if you can hold it in one place.

fishbones · 05-25-2011, 01:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Saltys

you couldn't put something into a tornado big enough to slow down the wind. Next time you drive down the highway stick a 12x12 plate out the window at 65mph and see if you can hold it in one place.

Exactly. If they can rip houses off of foundations and pick up cars, I don't know what could be brought to a tornado and launched into it that could actually slow it down or stop it?

zacs · 05-25-2011, 01:36 PM

i agree with these guys. The tornado went right over the f'ing hospital for christ sake and didn't stop. If anything would disrupt the cyclone, you would think a giant hospital would, but it just kept on going..

FishermanTim · 05-25-2011, 01:37 PM

Hey, that's what the geniuses at MIT will have to figure out.
I'm only the "idea" man!

Anyway, I'm sure the first guy to sell his idea for a parachute, or even the first operational helicopter had their doubters.

Given the indullible human spirit, I'm sure someone can devise some gimmick/gadget like a carbon fiber net/disk or kevlar plate that could be light enough to lift yet strong enough to withstand the internal wind forces.
See, now you have me doing my "brain-storming" and I just wanted a quiet day at work!

I would like to see if anyone has ever contemplated this aspect of storm chasing?

The Dad Fisherman · 05-25-2011, 01:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fishbones

I don't know what could be brought to a tornado and launched into it that could actually slow it down or stop it?

RIJIMMY · 05-25-2011, 01:51 PM

Dont listen to these doubters Tim !!! We all know who it takes to stop one of these............

FishermanTim · 05-25-2011, 01:58 PM

Also keep in mind that you wouldn't be "fighting" it from the ground, but probably where it drops from the cloud base.
The wind speeds are generally strongest where it is the narrowest, and usually closer to the ground.
SInce ALL tornados are created in the clouds, that would be the most logical point to attack. You cut off the source of the rotational winds, you effectively kill the twister (in theory).

OW, now you made me hurt my "thinker".
I need to do some fishing to ease my pain!

fishbones · 05-25-2011, 02:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Dad Fisherman

So are you saying that when she jumps in the pool, the resulting tsunami will knock out the tornado?

Tim, even if there was something strong and dense enough to disrupt a tornado, how would you get it to the tornado and drop it into it?

BMEUPSCOTTY · 05-25-2011, 02:05 PM

what if they dropped one of those air-fuel bombs that they used in the movie "Outbreak" to kill the virus? Detonate it in the atmosphere-- those cloud tops are at least 40 to 50000 ft. The hell with researching it, just try it and see what happens!

BMEUPSCOTTY · 05-25-2011, 02:10 PM

or maybe they could figure out a way to try and spin the air in the other direction... like when you were a kid, tryin to make vacuuming yer round, top-o-the ground pool easier by making a whirlpool and sending all the dirt to the middle... funnest part was turning around and trying to go the other way...

Seriously, I am pretty fascinated by storm research... this season of Stormchasers should be epic... I wonder what Reed has done to the Dominator.. the end of last season he was firing probes out of an air-cannon battery mounted to the Dom.... with all the research and improvements to the warning systems it's amazing how many lives have been lost so far this year... that Joplin storm was the biggest loss of life for a single tornado since the Worcester tornado in 53 if I'm not mistaken...

spence · 05-25-2011, 06:51 PM

I'd think the energy required to disrupt a strong tornado would easily get into nuke territory.
And, they're terribly difficult to predict, can move at 50 plus mph on the ground and dissapear before you know what's going on.

Grew up in Iowa, only ever saw one in person and it was pretty small.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

Swimmer · 05-25-2011, 07:18 PM

I have been afraid of the ever since The Wizard of Oz, and I''m not kidding.

Swimmer · 05-25-2011, 07:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Dad Fisherman

The tattooist had courage here. Great complexion though.

Raven · 05-26-2011, 03:55 AM

every city in the tornado zone (alley)

should have a giant under ground geodesic dome
that is accessed from four directions that is completely
set up with a triage and shopping complex with restaurants
and other amenities....

would it be a giant undertaking...absolutely
lets stop giving our BILLIONS away and make
A>M>E>R>I>C>A safer

UserRemoved · 05-26-2011, 04:39 AM

You know what? There IS one single thing in this world that is TOUGH ENOUGH, BIG ENOUGH, More powerful than ANYTHING on earth.

Why didn't I think of this before?

Send Obama

SurfCaster413 · 05-26-2011, 06:49 AM

You cant F#*& with mother nature.

FishermanTim · 05-26-2011, 10:39 AM

Here's a simple suggestion, and laugh if you will but think about the possiblity of success: shoot via fire hose equivilent a substance similar to silly-string but with a denser composite makeup. It would be drawn into the twister and would increase the weight of the debri being carried by the twister. Eventually the weight would exceed the lifting power of the vortex and should de-stabilize the twister, or at least decrease the spiral wind speed. In essence what this would be like would be relative to adding a powder to a whirlpool. The water would be so much denser that the spiral would eventually break down.

OK, I know it sounds silly, but sometimes simple solutions can make the most sense, and can spur on better ideas!

JohnR · 05-26-2011, 10:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Dad Fisherman

Collateral damage is too great. What goes up....

P.S. - Nebe called, he want's his avatar back

luds · 05-26-2011, 01:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RIJIMMY

Dont listen to these doubters Tim !!! We all know who it takes to stop one of these............

Saltheart and some Wendy's chili. I'm sure that will stop anything.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

Chesapeake Bill · 05-27-2011, 05:57 AM

The MIT folks would look for a solution but they are too busy spending that gubment research money with shrimp on treadmills and other fascinating things! If they put money into researching it everyone would complain about wasting federal money.

I say just move everyone back into the cities and feed them soylent green...

If all else fails...chili works.

Adam_777 · 05-29-2011, 05:48 PM

It all begins with the clouds and wind.Since wind is hard to change we obviously can change clouds.Just do some research on chemtrails .