Chew on this, hurricane/typhoon!

[pete.dakota]

Just found and read this patent application:

...the method of suppressing, mitigating and/or completely eliminating hurricane structures via the destabilizing effect of supersonic booms generated by one or more airplanes capable of supersonic flight.

The idea is to fly at least one (or, perhaps, just one) Mach 1+ jet (piloted) around in specially planned patterns, creating sonic-booms within the eye and structure of a hurricane.

Two things should occur: If the booms are planned and controlled, their force can be 'tailored' to 'partially and/or fully -negate' the rotation of the hurricane's eye - disrupting and hopefully destroying it's force. Also, as the sonic-booms travel downward to the sea, they will increase the air-pressure below the eye, further contributing to the disruption of the hurricane's system.

Pretty fascinating stuff. And, at least in theory, should work. I doubt that the weather system would be 'destroyed', but could certainly have it's damaging force greatly reduced before making landfall.

 

[willy88]

I can sense a Hollywood film producer twiddling his fingers and laughing maniacally.

 

[pete.dakota]

My first thought, too.

I'm sure they'll have Mark Wahlberg flying around the eye, only to find out that this act is some ancient, alien ritual that sets to bring about the end of the World, or something...

 

[tblaxland]

I am highly sceptical. In particular I'd like to see the evidence for this particular claim:

Given their nature, supersonic booms are potentially very efficient in hurricane/typhoon suppression, mitigation and/or elimination. This is because, while not wishing to be bound to any one theory, supersonic booms destabilize and/or destroy the two major dynamic features of a hurricane/typhoon - steady maximum rotational speed in the eye wall area and the pressure deficiency located at/near a hurricane's/typhoon's vertical axis of revolution.

A sonic boom is simply a shock wave travelling through the air. My understanding is that it does not much disturb the general air flow, much like the wake on a planing boat (which is also a type of shock wave) does not much disturb the ocean currents. The author's only evidence seems to be that sonic booms can break windows. This occurs because of the large pressure difference between the opposite sides of an object (the window) that is impervious to air flow. To make an analogy between an eye wall and a window is a very long bow.

Besides, what sort of pilot would want to perform this manoeuvre:

the destabilizing effects which suppress the cyclonic rotation in a hurricane/typhoon are achieved by synchronically flying a pair of jet fighters from the top of a hurricane down towards the ocean's surface in a anti-cyclonic direction (e.g., clockwise) in a flight pattern as is shown in Figure 2 (that is somewhat circular or elliptical as it relates to a hurricane's/typhoon's geometry). To maximize the effect of the two fighter jets, the jets' trajectories should be symmetrically disposed relative to the center of the hurricane's/typhoon's rotation (see Figure 2). In order to affect, by sonic booms, the rotating clouds beneath the highest flight points, the flights of the jets should start at about 12 to about 15 km in altitude.

And where is the evidence of this statement:

Finally, flying in a hurricane at supersonic speeds (or near-supersonic speeds) is not harmful to the jets or pilots. In fact, flying in hurricanes at supersonic speeds is much safer than flying at low subsonic speeds.

This one had me laughing:

To date, a large number of hurricane renaissance flights at subsonic speeds have been performed in the name of hurricane research, with no report of any pilot injury.

Oh, no, its a hurricane renaissance! :lol:

 

[Thunder Chicken]

I am highly sceptical. In particular I'd like to see the evidence for this particular claim:
A sonic boom is simply a shock wave travelling through the air. My understanding is that it does not much disturb the general air flow, much like the wake on a planing boat (which is also a type of shock wave) does not much disturb the ocean currents. The author's only evidence seems to be that sonic booms can break windows. This occurs because of the large pressure difference between the opposite sides of an object (the window) that is impervious to air flow. To make an analogy between an eye wall and a window is a very long bow.

Besides, what sort of pilot would want to perform this manoeuvre:
And where is the evidence of this statement:
This one had me laughing:

Oh, no, its a hurricane renaissance! :lol:

I was once accosted by an 'entrepreneur' who had an idea to stop hurricanes - coat the oceans with a corn oil slick to prevent evaporation from the ocean surface. :rofl:

The logistics of this did not faze him, and he did not see that much corn oil as an environmental concern.

Somewhere, there is a mental hospital with an unlocked and unattended door, I just know it.

 

[tblaxland]

Somewhere, there is a mental hospital with an unlocked and unattended door, I just know it.

I'd start looking next door to the USPTO

 

[Thunder Chicken]

Pretty fascinating stuff. And, at least in theory, should work. I doubt that the weather system would be 'destroyed', but could certainly have it's damaging force greatly reduced before making landfall.

Well, not if you look at the relative scales of power. The power transferred to the air by the jets (let's say 2 F-18 Super Hornets, good powerful naval aircraft) would be on the order of 10 MW. The rate of heat dissipation in a typical hurricane is something on the order of 100,000,000 MW, with maybe 10% of this actually going into moving air.

For this to even have a hope of working, you would need something on the order of 1,000,000 F-18s flying like the furies opposing the storm. Simultaneously. At full throttle. For the entire hurricane season. That would be a kick*** air show!

Better fire up the assembly lines, Boeing!

This neglects all of the hot air actually generated by the jets themselves, which is about the same as the power transferred to the air by drag.

 

[Moonwalker]

:rofl::rofl::rofl:

 

[TSPenguin]

Great idea! But as pointed out, a little out of scale.
I guess nuking a hurricane would be able to work if done properly. But that is just switching one death for another...

 

[Zatnikitelman]

I'm going to kick this over to a forum filled with meterologists, weather wannabes, and the like and see what they think!

 

[SlyCoopersButt]

Something like flying into a water spout would be a fun experiment to try (Less debris hazard). Someone ought to consider making the TIP (Tornado Interceptor Plane)! I think disrupting them may be possible. Or try exploding a simple S.A.M in land tornadoes.

 

[Thunder Chicken]

Great idea! But as pointed out, a little out of scale.
I guess nuking a hurricane would be able to work if done properly. But that is just switching one death for another...

Yes, and a nuke releases a lot of heat. Heat is what drives hurricanes. You might just wind up splitting one big hurricane into several big hurricanes.

 

[TSPenguin]

Sure, but I was more planing a deprivation approach. Take the momentum of the effect that drives the hurricane by placing a hot pile of air somewhere logic.