Kármán vortex street

A Kármán vortex street is a repeating pattern of swirling air or fluid, often seen behind objects like a bridge pillar or a smokestack. When a fluid flows past a blunt object, alternating vortices—conditions of swirling flow—form on either side of the object. These vortices shed in a regular pattern, creating a street-like arrangement downstream. This phenomenon occurs due to the instability in the flow and can cause vibrations or noise in structures subjected to flowing fluids. It illustrates how fluid flow can organize itself into predictable, symmetrical patterns under certain conditions.