Athermal column (orthermal) is a rising mass of buoyant air, a convective current in the atmosphere, that transfers heat energy vertically.[1] Thermals are created by the uneven heating of Earth's surface fromsolar radiation, and are an example ofconvection, specificallyatmospheric convection.
TheSun warms the ground, which in turn warms the air directly above.[2] The warm air near the surface expands, becoming lessdense than the surrounding air. The lighter air rises and cools due to its expansion in the lower pressure at higher altitudes. It stops rising when it has cooled to the same temperature, thus density, as the surrounding air.
Associated with a thermal is a downward flow surrounding the thermal column. The downward-moving exterior is caused by colder air being displaced at the top of the thermal.
The size andstrength of thermals are influenced by the properties of the lower atmosphere (thetroposphere). When the air is cold, bubbles of warm air are formed by the ground heating the air above it and can rise like a hot air balloon. The air is then referred to as unstable, as it's suitable for forming thermals. If there is a warm layer of air higher up, aninversion can prevent thermals from rising high and the air is said to be stable, as mature thermals can't form.
Thermals are often indicated by the presence of visible isolatedcumulusclouds at the top of the thermal. Cumulus clouds are formed by the rising air in a thermal as it ascends and cools, until thewater vapor in the air begins tocondense into visible droplets. When a steady wind is present, thermals and their respective cumulus clouds can align in rows oriented with wind direction, sometimes referred to as "cloud streets" bysoaring andglider pilots.
The condensing water releaseslatent heat energy allowing the air to rise higher. Very unstable air can reach thelevel of free convection (LFC), rising to great heights, condensing large quantities of water and forming convective clouds causing showers or even thunderstorms. The latter aredangerous to any aircraft flying through or nearby.
Thermals are one of the many sources oflift used bysoaring birds andgliders tosoar.
Thermals are also seen elsewhere in theSolar System. OnMars, for example, thermals are often seen in the form ofdust devils, carrying dust instead of water vapor. Thermals are also seen on theSun, typically forming hexagonal convective prisms (Bénard cells).[citation needed]
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