Abstract: | Condensation oscillations in showers and thunderstorms are represented by variations in the vertical air currents that are induced by the accumulation and fallout of condensed water. A simple analytic theory of condensation oscillations and calculations on more complete numerical models indicate that their period is approximately proportional to the inverse square root of the condensation function, i.e. the amount of condensate produced per unit rise of saturated air, and that the period is independent of the magnitude of thermal buoyancy. |