PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

The secrets of the best rainbows on Earth

The secrets of the best rainbows on Earth
2021-03-11
(Press-News.org) Rainbows are some of the most spectacular optical phenomena in the natural world and Hawai'i has an amazing abundance of them. In a new publication, an atmospheric scientist at the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa makes an impassioned case for Hawaii being the best place on Earth to experience the wonder of rainbows. He begins by highlighting the Hawaiian cultural significance of rainbows, he reviews the science of rainbows and the special combination of circumstances that makes Hawai'i a haven for rainbows.

"The cultural importance of rainbows is reflected in the Hawaiian language, which has many words and phrases to describe the variety of manifestations in Hawai'i," said author Steven Businger, professor in the UH Mānoa School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology. "There are words for Earth-clinging rainbows (uakoko), standing rainbow shafts (ka?hili), barely visible rainbows (punakea), and moonbows (a?nuenue kau po?), among others. In Hawaiian mythology the rainbow is a symbol of transformation and a pathway between Earth and Heaven, as it is in many cultures around the world."

Why is Hawai'i the rainbow capital of the world?

The essential ingredients for rainbows are, of course, rain and sunlight. To see a rainbow on flat ground the sun must be within about 40 degrees of the horizon. As the sun rises to higher angles in the sky during the morning, the height of the rainbow diminishes until no rainbow is visible above the horizon. The pattern is reversed as the sun lowers in the afternoon, with rainbows rising in the east and the tallest rainbows just prior to sunset.

Hawai'i's location in the subtropical Pacific means the overall weather pattern is dominated by trade winds, with frequent rain showers and clear skies between the showers.

Businger outlines four additional factors affecting the prevalence of rainbows throughout the islands. "At night a warm sea surface heats the atmosphere from below, while radiation to space cools cloud tops, resulting in deeper rain showers in the morning that produce rainbows in time for breakfast," said Businger.

Another critical factor in producing frequent rainbows is Hawai'i's mountains, which cause trade wind flow to be pushed up, forming clouds and producing rainfall. Without mountains, Hawai'i would be a desert with a scant 17 inches annual rainfall.

A third factor conducive to rainbow sightings is daytime heating, which drives island-scale circulations. During periods of lighter winds, showers form over the ridge crests over Oahu and Kauai in the afternoon, resulting in prolific rainbows as the sun sets.

Due to the remoteness of the Hawaiian Islands, the air is exceptionally clean and free of pollution, continental dust, and pollen. This is the fourth factor that contributes to the numerous bright rainbows with the full spectrum of colors.

Chasing rainbows

As Businger pursued his passion for finding and photographing these beautiful light displays, he began to imagine a smartphone app with access to Doppler radar data and high-resolution satellite data that could alert users when nearby conditions become conducive for rainbow sightings.

"After a few years of false starts, Paul Cynn and I finally connected with Ikayso, a Hawaiian smartphone app developer in April of 2020. I am very excited to say that our app, called RainbowChase, is now available to the public for free," said Businger.

INFORMATION:

RainbowChase is the only app that provides guidance to bring more rainbows into your life. Users can view radar and satellite images of rain and clouds, along with current and future weather, and collect rainbow photos.


[Attachments] See images for this press release:
The secrets of the best rainbows on Earth

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Depression risk higher after stroke vs. heart attack and female vs. male stroke survivors

2021-03-11
DALLAS, March 11, 2021 -- Stroke patients were nearly 50% more likely than heart attack patients to develop depression, and female stroke patients had a higher risk of depression than their male counterparts, according to two preliminary studies by the same research group to be presented at the American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference 2021. The virtual meeting is March 17-19, 2021 and is a world premier meeting for researchers and clinicians dedicated to the science of stroke and brain health. In what researchers described as one of the largest ...

Fine structure revealed of potential alternative to lead compound used in sensors

Fine structure revealed of potential alternative to lead compound used in sensors
2021-03-11
Researchers in Japan have used a novel, ultra-fast technique to explore the fine structure of a potential alternative material to lead titanate, a ferroelectric material widely used for sensors in many everyday devices. Understanding this structure takes us a step closer to eliminating these remaining sources of lead pollution. The study appeared in the materials science journal Acta Materialia on 21 January. Ferroelectric materials are used in a wide range of practical applications, from capacitors to memory cells, medical ultrasound to data storage and displays. These materials have a spontaneous polarization, or direction, of their electrons that can be switched back and forth via the application of an electric field, called ferroelectricity. Worldwide, society is increasingly ...

Neuroprotectant delivered to brain in nanoparticles may improve stroke treatment, outcomes

2021-03-11
DALLAS, March 11, 2021 -- When NA1, a neuroprotectant, was delivered to the brain in nanoparticles, it reduced stroke severity and improved survival in a mouse model of stroke, according to preliminary research to be presented at the American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference 2021. The virtual meeting is March 17-19, 2021 and is a world premier meeting for researchers and clinicians dedicated to the science of stroke and brain health. In an earlier human trial (the ESCAPE-NA1 trial), NA1, a small peptide designed to save brain cells from death after stroke, showed mixed results when NA1 was administered to patients undergoing clot removal for severe ...

Stroke survivors may have higher suicide risk

2021-03-11
DALLAS, March 11, 2021-- Stroke survivors may be more likely to attempt or die by suicide than people who have not had a stroke, according to preliminary research to be presented at the American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference 2021. The virtual meeting is March 17-19, 2021 and is a world premier meeting for researchers and clinicians dedicated to the science of stroke and brain health. This study will be simultaneously published in the American Heart Association's journal Stroke. Rates of depression among stroke survivors range from 28% to 35%, and stroke is considered an independent risk factor for depression. Since depression after a stroke has been associated with increased suicidal ...

Risk of dementia rises significantly with severity and number of strokes

2021-03-11
Contains updated information not available in the abstract. DALLAS, March 11, 2021 -- Having an ischemic stroke increases dementia risk, and that risk escalates with the number and severity of strokes, according to preliminary research to be presented at the American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference 2021. The virtual meeting is March 17-19, 2021 and is a world premier meeting for researchers and clinicians dedicated to the science of stroke and brain health. Ischemic stroke is the most common stroke type, accounting for 87% of all strokes. It occurs when a vessel supplying blood to the brain is obstructed. Stroke is the leading preventable cause ...

Even short delays in the ER may reduce the lifespan of stroke survivors

2021-03-11
DALLAS, March 11, 2021 — For every 10-minute delay between arrival at the emergency room (ER) and starting stroke treatment, patients with severe strokes may lose eight weeks of healthy life, according to preliminary research to be presented at the American Stroke Association’s International Stroke Conference 2021. The virtual meeting is March 17-19, 2021 and is a world premier meeting for researchers and clinicians dedicated to the science of stroke and brain health. Delays between the onset of stroke symptoms and arrival at the hospital have long been known to cost lives and brain cells. “Our study showed that delays in treatment at the hospital ...

Retinal damage may signal higher risk of stroke, dementia and early death

2021-03-11
DALLAS, March 11, 2021 — Pictures of the retina may someday provide early warning signs that a person is at an increased risk of stroke and dementia, making it possible to take preventive measures, according to preliminary research to be presented at the American Stroke Association’s International Stroke Conference 2021. The virtual meeting is March 17-19, 2021 and is a world premier meeting for researchers and clinicians dedicated to the science of stroke and brain health. Studies have shown that people with severe retinopathy, damage to the light-sensing ...

Structural racism: Communities with higher redlining scores had higher rates of stroke

2021-03-11
DALLAS, March 11, 2021 -- Discriminatory housing policies that restricted the sale or purchase of homes by race in certain neighborhoods across the U.S., called 'redlining,' which were established nearly a century ago and outlawed by the Fair Housing Act of 1968, were associated with higher rates of stroke in the same neighborhoods in 2017, according to preliminary research to be presented at the American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference 2021. The virtual meeting is March 17-19, 2021 and is a world premier meeting for researchers and clinicians dedicated to the science of stroke and brain health. "Differences in stroke rates, whether we are studying ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke, ...

African American women experience higher risk of pregnancy-related stroke, death

2021-03-11
DALLAS, March 11, 2021 -- African American women have a significantly increased risk of stroke and death during pregnancy and childbirth or in the period right after birth, compared to the risk of stroke among white women, according to preliminary research to be presented at the American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference 2021. The virtual meeting is March 17-19, 2021 and is a world premier meeting for researchers and clinicians dedicated to the science of stroke and brain health. "Each year, thousands of American women have a stroke or die from a stroke during pregnancy. The risk of stroke is also high following childbirth," said lead study author Mohamed ...

Adding triglyceride-lowering Omega-3 based medication to statins may lower stroke risk

2021-03-11
DALLAS, March 11, 2021 — Taking the triglyceride-lowering medication icosapent ethyl cut the risk of stroke by an additional 36% in people at increased risk of cardiovascular disease who already have their bad cholesterol levels under control using statin medications, according to preliminary research to be presented at the American Stroke Association’s International Stroke Conference 2021. The virtual meeting is March 17-19, 2021 and is a world premier meeting for researchers and clinicians dedicated to the science of stroke and brain health. “Icosapent ethyl is a new ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

New drug-eluting balloon may be as safe and effective as conventional metal stents for repeat percutaneous coronary interventions

Effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of automated external defibrillators in private homes

University of Phoenix College of Social and Behavioral Sciences leadership publishes white paper on trauma-informed education

Microbial iron mining: turning polluted soils into self-cleaning reactors

Molecular snapshots reveal how the body knows it’s too hot

Analysis finds alarming rise in severe diverticulitis among younger Americans

Mitochondria and lysosomes reprogram immune cells that dampen inflammation

Cockroach infestation linked to home allergen, endotoxin levels

New biochar-powered microbial systems offer sustainable solution for toxic pollutants

Identifying the best high-biomass sorghum hybrids based on biomass yield potential and feedstock quality affected by nitrogen fertility management under various environments

How HIV’s shape-shifting protein reveals clues for smarter drug design

Study identifies viral combinations that heighten risk of severe respiratory illnesses in infants

Aboveground rather than belowground productivity drives variability in miscanthus × giganteus net primary productivity

Making yeast more efficient 'cell factories' for producing valuable plant compounds

Aging in plain sight: What new research says the eyes reveal about aging and cardiovascular risk

Child welfare system involvement may improve diagnosis of developmental delays

Heavier electric trucks could strain New York City’s roads and bridges, study warns

From womb to world: scientists reveal how maternal stress programs infant development

Bezos Earth Fund grants $2M to UC Davis and American Heart Association to advance AI-designed foods

Data Protection is transforming humanitarian action in the digital age, new book shows

AI unlocks the microscopic world to transform future manufacturing

Virtual reality helps people understand and care about distant communities

Optica Publishing Group announces subscribe to open pilot for the Journal of the Optical Society of America B (JOSA B)

UNF partners with Korey Stringer Institute and Perry Weather to open heat exercise laboratory on campus

DNA from Napoleon’s 1812 army identifies the pathogens likely responsible for the army’s demise during their retreat from Russia

Study suggests two unsuspected pathogens struck Napoleon's army during the retreat from Russia in 1812

The 25-year incidence and progression of hearing loss in the Framingham offspring study

AI-driven nanomedicine breakthrough paves way for personalized breast cancer therapy

Fight or flight—and grow a new limb

Augmenting electroencephalogram transformer for steady-state visually evoked potential-based brain–computer interfaces

[Press-News.org] The secrets of the best rainbows on Earth