College of Liberal Arts & Sciences
8A70.55 - Rotational Banding/Planetary Atmospheres
The large globe is permanently attached to the lazy susan and can be used "as is". However, smoother operation can be had by centering the whole unit on the rotating air table.
Place the adaptor, Plexiglas stand, and the Pyrex stand on the air table. Rotational banding should become apparent when the air table is set in motion.
Rheoscopic fluid is the choice when it comes to making the flow patterns stand out. Hand soap that has glycerol stearate in it will also show nice flow patterns when mixed with water. Glycerol distearate does not work as well.
Video and web images are available from spacecraft and telescope data. Choose those that are most appropriate for your session.
The powered globe has a stirrer that turns on and off periodically. Banding will be observed throughout the class period if a camera is focused on this demo.
- Gordon McIntosh, "Wind in the Solar System", TPT, Vol. 48, #2, Feb. 2010, p. 94.
- Elizabeth Griffin, "Measuring Terrestrial Ozone from Historic Astronomical Spectra", TPT, Vol. 47, # 1, Jan. 2009, p. 22.
- Stephen J. Van Hook and Michael F. Schatz, "Simple Demonstrations of Pattern Formation", TPT, Vol. 35, # 7, Oct. 1997, p. 391.
- John Zinn, "Stratospheric Cooling and the Tropical Belt", Physics Today, Aug. 2015, p. 12.
- Thomas Bimer, Sean M. Davis, Dian J. Seidel, "The Changing Width of Earth's Tropical Belt", Physics Today, Dec. 2014, p. 38.
- Janice VanCleave, "Atmospheric Circulation", Geography for Every Kids: Easy Activities that Make Learning Geography Fun, p. 145.
Disclaimer: These demonstrations are provided only for illustrative use by persons affiliated with The University of Iowa and only under the direction of a trained instructor or physicist. The University of Iowa is not responsible for demonstrations performed by those using their own equipment or who choose to use this reference material for their own purpose. The demonstrations included here are within the public domain and can be found in materials contained in libraries, bookstores, and through electronic sources. Performing all or any portion of any of these demonstrations, with or without revisions not depicted here entails inherent risks. These risks include, without limitation, bodily injury (and possibly death), including risks to health that may be temporary or permanent and that may exacerbate a pre-existing medical condition; and property loss or damage. Anyone performing any part of these demonstrations, even with revisions, knowingly and voluntarily assumes all risks associated with them.