The Ground Breathes
What on earth is going on here?
The explanation, via IFLScience:
The explanation, via IFLScience:
The phenomenon is actually quite mundane. The footage, which reportedly comes from a forest in Sacre-Coeur, Quebec, is just showing us what happens when strong winds meet soil that’s been loosened by a storm.
“During a rain and windstorm event the ground becomes saturated, 'loosening' the soil's cohesion with the roots as the wind is blowing on a tree's crown," certified arborist Mark Vanderwouw told The Weather Network.
"The wind is trying to 'push' the trees over, and as the force is transferred to the roots, the ground begins to 'heave'. If the winds were strong enough and lasted long enough more roots would start to break and eventually some of the trees would topple.”
“During a rain and windstorm event the ground becomes saturated, 'loosening' the soil's cohesion with the roots as the wind is blowing on a tree's crown," certified arborist Mark Vanderwouw told The Weather Network.
"The wind is trying to 'push' the trees over, and as the force is transferred to the roots, the ground begins to 'heave'. If the winds were strong enough and lasted long enough more roots would start to break and eventually some of the trees would topple.”
Comments
Interesting. I live near the remains of a peat bog. Apparently the peat was bad, because the diggers left enough to turn into a nature reserve. The whole ground is saturated with water, but the peat is solid enough to walk on safely (and grow lots and lots of delicious blackberries). It doesn't heave on its own like this, but when you walk on it, in places the ground just gives and springs back like a massive air cushion. It's a very weird experience.
Posted by Richard Bos on 11/10/18 at 04:09 AM
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Category: Nature | Natural Wonders | Weather