thermal lift
Hot air ascent
Thermal lift is the upward force created when a column of warm air rises through cooler surrounding air.
Glider pilots, hang gliders, and soaring birds use thermals to gain altitude without engine power: The hawk circled in the thermal lift, rising effortlessly.
Also called simply a thermal.
- updraftUpward air movement
- thermalsWarm air columns
- vulturesLarge carrion-eating raptors
- soaringRising effortlessly upward
- storksLarge migratory wading birds
paragliding · variometer · convection · solar radiation · raptors · sailplane · free flight · migratory birds · boundary layer · eagles · circling · kettling · turbulence · heated · flight · wind currents · ridge · column