Earlier this year, a dedicated caver scrutinized satellite imagery of the Nullarbor Plain when he encountered an astonishing anomaly: a vast, enigmatic scar carved into the stark terrain. This extraordinary discovery piqued the interest of scientists, including my colleagues and me. Upon further investigation, we discerned that the scar was the remnant of an exceptionally powerful tornado, previously undetected. We delineate our findings in newly published research.
While tornadoes are widely acknowledged as a significant meteorological threat in the United States and other regions, they, too, manifest in Australia. Absent technological advances, this remarkable instance of nature’s sheer ferocity would have remained undetected. The study of the tornado’s aftermath is crucial for enhancing our predictive capabilities and preparedness for future events.
Australia’s Tornado History
Tornadoes represent violent, rotating columns of air descending from thunderstorms, often generating wind speeds surpassing 200 kilometres per hour. Their destructive potential is immense, uprooting trees, demolishing structures, and propelling debris over considerable distances.
The earliest recorded tornado in Australia transpired in 1795 in the outskirts of Sydney; however, formal scientific acknowledgment was lacking until the late 1800s. Recent documented instances, such as the 2013 tornado traversing northeastern Victoria and the seven tornadoes spawned by a severe storm in South Australia in 2016, underscore the urgency of accurate tornado prediction.
A Whirlwind Mystery
The Nullarbor Plain is a remote, arid expanse in southern Australia. The individual who identified the scar was employing Google Earth to locate karst features. The resultant scar spans 11 kilometres and exhibits distinctive “cycloidal marks,” indicative of tornado suction vortices, insinuating the phenomenon’s categorization within the formidable F2 or F3 range.
Our research elucidates essential insights into tornado occurrences within this under-explored region and highlights the indispensable role of satellite imagery in identifying such meteorological phenomena.
Matej Lipar, Adjunct Research Fellow, School of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Curtin University
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Vocabulary List:
- Anomaly /əˈnɒməli/ (noun): Something that deviates from what is standard normal or expected.
- Delineate /dɪˈlɪniˌeɪt/ (verb): To describe or portray something precisely.
- Surpassing /sərˈpæsɪŋ/ (adjective): Exceeding or going beyond a specified limit.
- Destructive /dɪˈstrʌk.tɪv/ (adjective): Causing great and irreparable damage.
- Urgency /ˈɜːrdʒənsi/ (noun): Importance requiring swift action.
- Elucidates /ɪˈluːsɪdeɪts/ (verb): To make something clear; to explain.
How much do you know?
Who identified the vast scar on the Nullarbor Plain?
What type of natural phenomenon caused the scar on the Nullarbor Plain?
What is the significance of satellite imagery in identifying meteorological phenomena?
What type of marks were found on the scar, indicative of tornado suction vortices?
In which range were the tornado suction vortices of the identified scar categorized?
What is the destructive potential of tornadoes mentioned in the text?
Tornadoes only manifest in the United States and not in Australia.
The scar on the Nullarbor Plain was identified using advanced radar technology.
The earliest recorded tornado in Australia occurred in 1795 near Sydney.
One of the recent tornado instances mentioned in the text occurred in 2016 in South Australia.
The study of the tornado's aftermath is deemed unnecessary for future preparedness.
The Nullarbor Plain is described as a populated area in northern Australia.
The scar on the Nullarbor Plain was the remnant of an exceptionally powerful tornado, previously .
The study of the tornado's aftermath is crucial for enhancing predictive capabilities and preparedness for future .
The earliest recorded tornado in Australia took place in 1795 in the outskirts of .
The Nullarbor Plain is an arid expanse located in Australia.
The scar on the Nullarbor Plain spans a length of kilometres.
Tornadoes are known to generate wind speeds exceeding 200 per hour.