Karman vortices #

Image courtesy of USGS., under PD

When wind-driven clouds encounter obstacles, in this case islands, they flow around them to form large, spinning eddies known as Karman vortices.

The Karman vortices in this high-resolution satellite photo formed over the islands of Broutona, Chirpoy, and Brat Chirpoyev (Chirpoys Brother), all part of the Kuril Island chain found between Russias Kamchatka Peninsula and Japan.