Iqhwa Elinomsindo

OSOSAYENSI bathole ukuthi lapho iqhwa likhithikela emanzini, inhlayiya ngayinye ibanga umsindo abantu abangenakuwuzwa. Njengenhlabamkhosi yeloli lezicisha-mlilo elisondelayo, lo msindo uyaphakama ube mkhulu uphinde udambe, ngokuphazima kweso.

Iconsi lemvula noma isichotho singena ngaphansi emanzini, kodwa inhlayiya yeqhwa elula ihlala phezulu. Nokho, ngokushesha iyancibilika, bese kuba nomsindo “wenhlabamkhosi,” okubhekiselwe kuwo ngenhla. Lokhu kwaqashelwa eminyakeni engaba ngu-15 edlule, kodwa le ndaba ayizange ilandelelwe. Nokho, eminyakeni yamuva nje, lo msindo uyabakhathaza ososayensi e-Alaska abasebenzisa i-sonar ukuze balandelele izinhlanzi ezifudukayo. Lapho umsindo weqhwa elikhithikayo uphazamisa umkhondo wezinhlanzi, umsebenzi wokuzilandelela kufanele umiswe. Lo msindo ubangelwa yini?

Umagazini i-New Scientist uchaza ukuthi njengoba izinhlayiya zeqhwa zintanta emanzini, mncane umsindo oba ngaphansi kwamanzi. Kodwa lapho ziqala ukuncibilika, amanzi amuncwa ukuhlangana neqhwa. Kungenzeka ukuthi phakathi nalesi sikhathi izinhlayiya zikhipha amabhamuza omoya noma lawo mabhamuza amuncwa amanzi akhuphukayo. Ibhamuza ngalinye liyandindizela njengoba lizama ukuzivumelanisa nendawo ezungezile, futhi lapho lenza kanjalo, likhipha umsindo, othi awufane nenhlabamkhosi—kodwa ophakeme kakhulu.

[Umthombo Wesithombe ekhasini 31]

Snow Crystals/Dover