if the trails left by aircraft are water vapor, why did the effect I see today not occur 10 years ago?

Question

I only noticed this starting in 1999 and I am startled at the answers (or non answers ) I am seeing. A lot less clouds, a lot more haze beginning in criss cross patterns and then completely covering the sky. I get the feeling people are afraid to think about it. If it is not water vapor or exhaust, would you, the public want to know?

Answer 1

You've asked this question in a least four different ways. the answer's still the same, it's "WATER VAPOR".

You may not have noticed this before, but I've noticed them since I was a kid back in the early 60's.

Most airlines today use the higher elevations more often, than in the past and that may be what your seeing. The higher up you go, the colder it gets. The hot humid exhaust turns into ice particles and at 30,000 feet it's going to take a while for that ice to dissipate through dispersion or thawing.

Government regulations dictate exhaust emission levels from commercial aircraft. The fines for violating them are fairly steep.

If these answers are not to your liking in all four posts, check out various sources and put your findings out for all of us ignoramuses to review.

Well, I guess I'm not gettin picked for best answer!!!! ;-)

Answer 2

Well, actually it is condensation. Water vapor is equivalent to steam, but at room temperature. It is simply water in gas form. In the upper atmosphere, it is COLD, so the water vapor (one of the components of the jet exhaust) does what it does when it loses heat, condenses into droplets, which appear to be white, just as clouds do since this is effectively the same stuff which makes up clouds. Note the contrail, the name you missed using, forms quite a ways behind the aircraft. The name contrail is simply shorthand for condensation trail. The warmer the atmosphere the jet is flying through, the further behind the contrail forms, if at all.

Answer 3

Buddy, the vaporization of water molecules has been around since high altitude flight. Check WW2 stock footage, say on the history channel. B-17's over Germany with contrails off the wingtips. I've been noticing it since I was a conscious little human. Clouds are nothing more than high concentrations of water. Believe me, I've flown through clouds with windows open in my Cessna. Smells like you're going through the mister in a water ride at your local amusement park. To understand, first learn about lift, and how the top flow over a wing increases speed. The learn Bernulli's principle and how a faster moving liquid or gas concentrates and lowers in temperature. Then you'll understand how the exit flow off of a high altitude wing causes moisture to crystalize and freeze. You're talking about moisture present in all air, but at 30,000 feet the water is at many degrees below zero. Concentrate this and you get suspended water particles. Suspended water is what clouds are. Water falls from clouds, not by some magic, but because the air becomes supersaturated with very small very light water particles that join (like rain drops on your car window are attracted together) and finally get too heavy and fall to earth.

Also about the criss cross paterns. Aircraft don't fly GPS direct. If every aircraft flew from its depature point to its destination it would be chaos just like if the whole earch was a giant road. People would crash left and right without some order. On the ground we call that order highways. If you're traveling on the same highway as me, I know we're headed in the same direction and that someone isn't going to come at me head on or out of nowhere and hit my car in the side. With aircraft they fly jet routes which are pretty much highways in the sky. Don't believe me? Check out this http://www.atccti.com/document/nonradar.jpg See those lines? Those are those highways in the sky. That is a real sector...sector 66 at Memphis center. Can you see how those lines are semetrical? See how they form geometric patterns? The planes overhead are trying to follow these jet routes, not spray you with chemicals.

If the contrails were chemicals controlling my mind, yes I'd want to know. What I should ask you is, how did the government get the technology for mind control chemicals prior to world war one (con trails are as old as flight) and still not be able to control the minds of their enemies is ANY war in the last 100 years? If we could control the minds of terrorists, would we still be seeing plots against us? Would we have lost Vietnam? Would the second world war have claimed so many lives if a simple chemical spray would have made Germany submit? This is what I'd like you to answer. Not only that, but why is it no pilot, controller, ground crew member or mechanic has ever accidentally mentioned this? Why is it I can get a book at the local library on the rituals of the Masons, but nothing on how the millions of people all aroudn the world in aviation are keeping a mind control chemical being spread from aircraft from the puiblic? Two things. Either believe me or get a pilots certificate of your own and don't mention chem trails. If it is a masonic like club they'll let you in on the secret and then you can break the news to your consperacy theory buddies.

Answer 4

There were contrails before 1999. Many of them. However, there is a greater number of planes in use, and they fly higher now than before, The contrails are water vapor condensing in the wake of the planes, just as clouds are water vapor. The height of the flight means that the air is quite cold. When the moisture in the air is disturbed by any of a great number of things such as the plane flying through it, the water condenses. Thus the contrail is formed. After the disturbance, the sun's heat and the atmosphere just gradually return to the normal state/

Answer 5

Did you have your eyes closed before 1999? I am 65 and have always seen them anytime an aircraft is high Enough for the vapor to freeze.

Answer 6

The reason you see it more today than 10 years ago is because of the quality of our air and not what is being spewed from the plane. Many factors can can be the cause. Pollution is the number one factor in this. The influx of consumerism of SUVs in the last 10 years is my thought. They are not fuel efficient and put out incredible amounts of emissions. As well, every time we we put up a house or a building, we cut down a tree. I am not a tree-hugger but I am all in favor of helping ourselves live longer healthier lives. When we cut down those trees, we are reducing the potential for our air quality to be better. Plants are our natural way to filter the bad out of the air but with every plant lost we, we are unable to filter out a little less of the pollution in the air. Plane trails are more visible because of all the pollution.

Answer 7

U are wrong the bombers that bombed Germany in ww2 left vapor trails .

Answer 8

I would say that before 1999 you were most unobservant. Contrails have existed as long as airplanes have existed.

Answer 9

chemtrails....used to control or minimize weather ahead of a front? Can't be

Answer 10

what else would it be? A chem trail? hahahaha!