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Add info on: Optical effects: sun dogs, sun pillars, parahelic ring. Environment: tidal flats. Weather: temperature offsets, rain or snow deposits on the ground. Add screenshots.
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m (Add info on: Optical effects: sun dogs, sun pillars, parahelic ring. Environment: tidal flats. Weather: temperature offsets, rain or snow deposits on the ground. Add screenshots.) |
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== Weather == | == Weather == | ||
Our weather has improved much with the addition of [[advanced weather]]. To enable it, you must open the <tt>Environment > Weather</tt> dialog, then check "Detailed Weather" and click "OK". With advanced weather enabled, clouds are placed while taking the terrain and wind patterns into account, making for much more realistic cloud and weather patterns. Advanced weather works best with [[atmospheric light scattering]] enabled as well. | Our weather has improved much with the addition of [[advanced weather]] - see the [[Weather#Advanced Weather Gallery .282017.2B.29|gallery]]. To enable it, you must open the <tt>Environment > Weather</tt> dialog, then check "Detailed Weather" and click "OK". With advanced weather enabled, clouds are placed while taking the terrain and wind patterns into account, making for much more realistic cloud and weather patterns. Advanced weather works best with [[atmospheric light scattering]] enabled as well. | ||
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This is an old [https://www.flightgear.org/tours/advanced-weather-v1-4-in-flightgear-2-6/ 2012 article] on how the advanced weather system works and is driven by terrain. It's definitely is worth reading. | This is an old [https://www.flightgear.org/tours/advanced-weather-v1-4-in-flightgear-2-6/ 2012 article] on how the advanced weather system works and is driven by terrain. It's definitely is worth reading. | ||
The dialogue <tt>Environment > Weather > Detailed weather > Advanced | The dialogue <tt>Environment > Weather > Detailed weather > Advanced settings</tt> has a lot of options that affect weather. The <code>cloud shadows</code> options is there. The <code>ground haze</code> and <code>haze structure</code> options simulate moisture. The <code>smog</code> slider should also be used for the organic smog of forests in areas such as the Blue Mountains of Australia, the Blue Ridge mountains of USA, and some forests in countries like France or Italy. Turning up <code>convective conditions</code> and <code>turbulence</code> will affect cloud shape as thermals get stronger and narrower. | ||
The [[Weather#Weather_pattern_scales|scale sliders]] in the Advanced options dialogue affect how quickly the weather changes over space. For instance it's easier to get a single storm cell with skies mostly clear elsewhere by making the scales smaller. | The [[Weather#Weather_pattern_scales|scale sliders]] in the Advanced options dialogue affect how quickly the weather changes over space. For instance it's easier to get a single storm cell with skies mostly clear elsewhere by making the scales smaller. | ||
The advanced weather simulation is very sophisticated. There are many properties of atmosphere state that are currently not exposed by the GUI, or are not practical to expose. These properties are randomised each time AW is initialised. Live METAR reports are a vague, limited, rounded off, variable quality, hint at atmospheric state very close to an airfield given at varying intervals intended for airfield operation. Therefore, when using METARs to drive weather there are a lot of properties that unavoidably need to by randomly guessed by Advanced Weather. Pressing "Apply" in the Weather | Remember to use <tt>''Environment > Weather > Detailed weather > Advanced settings > Temperature offset''</tt> with scenarios to simulate higher or lower temperatures. This is the only way to simulate winter, for example. Rainy scenarios produce snow-fall as as the temperature changes. | ||
Use Use ''[[Weather#Snow%20and%20rain%20on%20ground|Environment > Environment settings]]'' for rain on the ground, or adjusting snow deposits - these are not set from the weather dialog as they depend on ''history'' of weather, not weather at any instant. | |||
The advanced weather simulation is very sophisticated. There are many properties of atmosphere state that are currently not exposed by the GUI, or are not practical to expose. These properties are randomised each time AW is initialised. Live METAR reports are a vague, limited, rounded off, variable quality, hint at atmospheric state very close to an airfield given at varying intervals intended for airfield operation. Therefore, when using METARs to drive weather there are a lot of properties that unavoidably need to by randomly guessed by Advanced Weather. Pressing "Apply" in the Weather dialog for a given weather condition or a METAR will create a new random set of properties. | |||
== Environment == | == Environment == | ||
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<gallery mode="packed"> | <gallery mode="packed"> | ||
File: | File:Seasons transition from summer to autumn at Innisbruck, Austria (Flightgear 2019.x).jpg|Transition of seasons from summer to autumn | ||
File:Kilauea Lava Lake, Hawaii (Flightgear 2019.x).jpg|Lava lake showing 3d structure of cooled lava with overlays enabled at Kilauea, Hawaii | |||
File: | |||
File:SOTM-Sept17.jpg|'Weeping wall' waterfalls at Mount Waialeale, Island of Kauai, Hawaii | File:SOTM-Sept17.jpg|'Weeping wall' waterfalls at Mount Waialeale, Island of Kauai, Hawaii | ||
File:BK 117 on the shore of lake Zurich, Switzerland (Flightgear 2018.x-19.x).jpg|The moon is visible at daytime. Changing date slightly changes phase | |||
File: | File:Aurora Borealis and Sun halo in Northern Norway in Autumn (Flightgear 2019.x).jpg|Aurora Borealis and Sun halo in northern Norway (sun below the horizon). The rays of the low sun are red, making the halo red | ||
File:SOTM 2019-03 Look at those clouds by Thorsten.jpg|Earthview | |||
File: | File:Tidal flats at low tide in Morecambe Bay in England (Flightgear 2020.x) 01.jpg|Tidal flats at low tide. Tidal flats gradually transition from uncovered to fully covered by water. Tides change based on time of day. | ||
File:Tidal flats at high tide in Morecambe Bay in England (Flightgear 2020.x) 02.jpg| Tidal flats at high tide | |||
File: | File:Iceland airport keep- thin snow, Keflavik International Airport (BIKF) in Flightgear 2020 LTS 06.jpg | ||
</gallery> | </gallery> | ||
=== Notable optical and lighting effects === | === Notable optical and lighting effects === | ||
Flightgear has a very sophisticated light simulation. This [https://www.flightgear.org/tours/the-magic-of-light-and-haze/ 2014 article] describes just some of what was simulated at the time. Here are a few things to watch out for (March 2020): | Flightgear has a very sophisticated light simulation. This [https://www.flightgear.org/tours/the-magic-of-light-and-haze/ 2014 article] describes just some of what was simulated at the time. Tip: Press 'Apply' in the weather dialog to get a new set of random values for unexposed atmosphere properties that create optical effects. Here are a few things to watch out for (March 2020): | ||
* Ice halos from ice crystals (icy haze) in the atmosphere interacting with sunlight. Lower temperatures increase the chance. Use a negative [[Weather#General settings|temperature offset]] to lower temperatures. | |||
* Sun halos: 22 degree ring around the sun. Halos occur frequently, upto a 100 days per year. | * Sun halos: 22 degree ring around the sun. Halos occur frequently, upto a 100 days per year.* Sun halos: 22 degree ring around the sun. Halos occur frequently, upto a 100 days per year. | ||
* Rainbows: in rain volumes forming a 40 degree ring around the point opposite the sun (anti-solar point). Heavier downpours with larger droplet sizes makes bows more intense. | * Rainbows: in rain volumes forming a 40 degree ring around the point opposite the sun (anti-solar point). Heavier downpours with larger droplet sizes makes bows more intense. | ||
* Aurora: A ring around both magnetic poles at all times of the year. Normally seen at latitudes above 60 degrees. Large disturbances in the magneto-sphere by solar activity can cause Auroras to be seen further towards the equator. Auroras have been seen as far away from poles as Austrian Alps/Germany(2015), Florida(1989), and even reportedly Honolulu (great solar storm of 1859). | * Aurora: A ring around both magnetic poles at all times of the year. Normally seen at latitudes above 60 degrees. Large disturbances in the magneto-sphere by solar activity can cause Auroras to be seen further towards the equator. Auroras have been seen as far away from poles as Austrian Alps/Germany(2015), Florida(1989), and even reportedly Honolulu (great solar storm of 1859). | ||
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<gallery mode="packed"> | <gallery mode="packed"> | ||
File: | File:SOTM 2020-01 The Goddness of Love & Beauty in iridescence by eatdirt.jpg|Colour change due to scattering by ice crystals | ||
File:Eurocopter EC135 over wet volumetric grass in Innsbruck Airport (LOWI), Austria (Flightgear 2018.x).jpg|Reflection of light from the sun by puddles at lower sun angles | |||
File: | File:Bell 412 over a snowcapped Mount Etna in Sicily in winter (Flightgear 2019.x) 02.jpg|Thin clouds close to the sun show a peak in the intensity of light scattered in the forward direction. Snow is lit by the yellowish light from the low sun. | ||
File:SOTM 2018-11 Windows 85 Simulator by GinGin.jpg|At low angles dust on glass surfaces can be seen on craft which support it like the Shuttle, A320, and EC145 | |||
File: | File:C172p-frost.jpg|Frost on windows | ||
File:SOTM 2019-06 Catching the rainbow by F5SLQ.png|Rainbow | |||
File: | File:Silver lining of clouds, EC135 over Zurich in Switzerland (Flightgear 2018.x).jpg|'Silver lining' in the fringes of clouds | ||
C172p-frost.jpg|Frost on windows | File:SOTM 2019-12 Caribbean Island by Madbyte70.jpg|Shallow clear waters of the Caribbean under a clear noon sky | ||
File:Sun dog and ice halo, from top of Mount Herdubreid volcano in Iceland (Flightgear 2020.x).jpg|Sun halo (22 degree ring), Sun pillar (vertical line through the sun), and Sun dogs (left and right of the sun). | |||
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</gallery> | </gallery> | ||
<br clear=all> | <br clear=all> | ||