Cloud Low-poly 3D model

cgtrader

In atmospheric science, clouds are collections of tiny droplets, frozen crystals, or other particles suspended within the atmospheric layers of celestial bodies or spaces. Clouds may comprise water or various chemicals as droplets and crystals, creating visual masses seen from space. Cloud formations occur due to saturation in air when it reaches its dew point temperature after cooling down or gaining moisture typically from adjacent sources. Clouds appear within Earth's homosphere including troposphere, stratosphere, and mesosphere layers. Nephology is the scientific study of clouds which forms part of meteorological research. Cloud naming systems vary according to atmospheric levels - Latin names for tropospheric formations derive from Luke Howard's nomenclature proposed in 1802. These include five general types seen across various altitudes: stratiform, cirriform, and cumulonimbiform masses with varying sizes, altitudinal categories, and appearances. The naming of high-altitude genera involves 'cirro' prefixation; mid-altitude ones involve 'alto'; multi-level formations don't fit these conventions while often showing mixed cloud features. Low-altitude forms may appear as fog or mist on Earth's surface but lack specific names under scientific nomenclature systems. Cloud observations aren't limited to our planet, existing across various atmospheres in the Solar System with unique characteristics often involving other chemicals due to differing temperature conditions. Nephological studies consider several types and classifications including altitude variations used by meteorologists; tabulated data provides insights on their formation structures. Ancient civilizations like Aristotle noticed rain cloud patterns using a simple understanding based more on observation than what we today call scientific methodology. However, such observations contributed significantly towards early comprehension of meteorology, which came to define weather phenomena as 'meteors,' derived from Greek origins. The tropospheric cloud forms consist mainly of stratiform and cumulonimbus types. A full list includes genera divided according to altitudes such as cirrostratus in high altitudes, altostratus in the mid, and low-level formations include various genera identified through systematic classifications like those used for satellite observations. In Earth's homosphere, different groups exist: the main categories - opacities associated with lower cloud types (translucidus for thin clouds, perlucidus and opacus), further dividing low to medium altitude into different structures as stratocumulus or altocumulus; while in higher strata we have genera which present variations according to different heights. Cloud identification includes opacity-related varieties - specifically for low- to mid-level structures where their transparency could be noted, although it has limitations because of inherent characteristics seen with cirrus nebulosus.