Wake turbulence is
turbulence that forms behind an
aircraft as it passes through the air. This turbulence includes various components, the most important of which are
wingtip vortices and jetwash. Jetwash refers simply to the rapidly moving gases expelled from a jet engine; it is extremely turbulent, but of short duration. Wingtip vortices, on the other hand, are much more stable and can remain in the air for up to three minutes after the passage of an aircraft.