Condensation cloud
Product of large explosions in humid air / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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A transient condensation cloud, also called a Wilson cloud, is observable surrounding large explosions in humid air.
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When a nuclear weapon or a large amount of a conventional explosive is detonated in sufficiently humid air, the "negative phase" of the shock wave causes a rarefaction of the air surrounding the explosion, but not contained within it. This rarefaction results in a temporary cooling of that air, which causes a condensation of some of the water vapor contained in it. When the pressure and the temperature return to normal, the Wilson cloud dissipates.[1]