In Rememberance of September 11th

Today is a special day for our country. Today marks the 10th anniversary of the terrorist attack on the world trade center towers. I was in Mrs. Hamilton's 7th grade world geography class when the attack occurred. While thinking back to the events of that day and how the American people responded with selflessness and love for one another I was mindful of some of the fluid mechanics behind the cowardly attack. After the jumbo jets tore into the buildings an explosion occurred fueled by high octane jet fuel. As the hot gases left the holes in the world trade centers they created a turbulent flow that was made visible by tiny smoke particles that were trapped inside the gases. This turbulent flow was caused by the gases leaving the tower at such a high velocity. In the photograph below you can see the smoke plume leave the world trade centers. In this photo you can see the turbulent flow that is leaving the building and the transition to a more laminar flow as it ascends into the atmosphere. Never forgotten! 9/11

Aerial photograph of the September 11th terrorist attack on the World Trade Center Towers.