What causes wake turbulence during air travel?

Wake turbulence during air travel is caused by vortices generated by the wingtips of an aircraft. www.touristsecrets.com

As an aircraft flies, air moves faster over the top surface of the wing than the bottom, creating a difference in pressure. www.studysmarter.co.uk When the higher pressure air below the wing seeks equilibrium with the lower pressure air above, it curls around the wingtips, creating vortices. www.studysmarter.co.uk

The strength of these vortices is directly proportional to the weight of the aircraft and inversely proportional to its speed and the wingspan. www.studysmarter.co.uk

Wake turbulence is especially hazardous in the region behind an aircraft in the takeoff or landing phases of flight, when the aircraft operates at a high angle of attack, which maximizes the formation of strong vortices. en.wikipedia.org