Meteorological spherical lightning

Spherical lightning, commonly known as rolling thunder, is a spherical lightning ball. This is a real physical phenomenon, not an energy cannon of science fiction or comic series. This phenomenon was recorded as early as 1838. Scientists have studied it for 160 years and published thousands of related reports and more than 2,000 scientific papers. However, we still have no reasonable explanation for this phenomenon, but it is not credible to say that it can cross any object.

Spherical lightning usually appears in thunderstorm weather. It is very bright, slightly spherical and about 20 to 50 cm in diameter. Usually it lasts only a few seconds, but there are also 1-2 minutes. Even more amazing, it can move independently and slowly in the air. Witnesses saw it fall to the ground like a fireball and bounce back into the air and disappear. Some witnesses said it would follow metal objects, such as telephone lines, but most people said its path was uncertain. Most witnesses said it moved horizontally. In its short life of a few seconds, its luminosity, shape and size remain unchanged. It has appeared in open spaces, closed rooms and even airplane cabins! There are signs that it is closely related to lightning between clouds and the ground (that is, common ordinary lightning), and witnesses say it will form or disappear after ordinary lightning. Spherical lightning may explode violently, or it may suddenly disappear quietly. In terms of color, opinions vary and there is no consistent description.

Spherical lightning is destructive. It can not only destroy the glass window, but also make the outer layer of the wall peel off. It also caused human and animal casualties, but due to insufficient information, the real cause of death has not yet been known. There is no evidence that ball lightning will destroy trees, which is slightly different from ordinary lightning. Spherical lightning can hardly be destroyed Someone once used a rifle to shoot ball lightning, but it didn't work.

Because of the low frequency of spherical lightning, it is difficult for scientists to make systematic observation, and no one has taken high-quality photos for scientific research so far. Theoretically, some people think it is a hot air mass or a vaporized element, such as carbon, sodium or copper. Although this theory can explain some characteristics of spherical lightning, it can't explain why it can form in the aircraft cabin. In addition, there are many different theories, such as plasma, ions, charged dust, and water with an outer electron layer, but none of them can fully explain this scientific unsolved case. If you have ever seen or taken photos of ball lightning, be sure to record all the information! That will be very valuable research data.

Spherical lightning is mysterious because it is not common. Its ethereal whereabouts, changeable colors and shapes, and its great destructive power to stop time fascinate human beings. Therefore, as early as ancient Greece, people began to pay attention to this strange natural phenomenon.

[Edit this paragraph] Introduction

According to meteorologists, when a thunderstorm suddenly occurs, the charged clouds are very close to the ground, and some protruding objects on the ground generate induced charges, which form a discharge between them, thus forming a rolling thunder. Rolling mines are easy to cause electric shock damage to people and objects on the ground.

Spherical lightning is still a strange natural phenomenon that people cannot explain. Many witnesses think that ball lightning moves like wisdom, as if it knows where to go. If it enters a room, it usually goes through the door or window and then reaches the corridor. Of course, this is just people's imagination.

According to many eyewitness materials, we can probably outline the basic outline of spherical lightning. This luminous sphere is between the size of a golf ball and a football ball, and its colors are white, green, yellow and orange, and its brightness can be equivalent to a 100 watt light bulb. Generally, the duration of spherical lightning is about 5 ~ 10 second. It will float freely in the near-earth air with the fluctuation of airflow, and sometimes it will go against the wind, and it can go through doors and windows, enter the room, and even go through the chimney of the stove. Sometimes it hovers, sometimes it disappears silently, and sometimes it hits an obstacle and explodes and disappears with a loud noise. Ball lightning runs very slowly, sometimes at the same speed as human beings. In rare cases, it will make a slight whistle, beep or hiss. A common feature is that spherical lightning almost always occurs in thunderstorm days.

[Edit this paragraph] Characteristics of ball lightning

The diameters of large and small spherical lightning vary from 15 ~ 30cm, but some people have seen the diameters of 1 ~ 2cm and 5 ~ 10m. It can change its diameter at a fixed frequency, gradually weaken and become smaller, and explosion can increase its volume and end it. You can change the size by decomposition or recombination. It is reported that most shapes are spherical or oval, and there are oblate rectangles, cubes, rings, dumbbells, clouds, cylinders, bullets, cigars, cones, lenses, shields and spirals. The two most common colors are white and orange, others are red, blue, yellow and green, and silver and black are rare. Some ball lightning will change color. The speed can range from standstill to unimaginable high speed (more than 20,000 kilometers per hour, but this is not the case in thunderstorm weather), and the general speed is about 5 meters per second, that is, 18 kilometers per hour. The structure seems to be some kind of plasma or cloud-like substance. Some of the centers of spherical lightning are transparent, some are hollow, or there is no obvious fixed structure at all. Some ball lightning seems to be changing dynamically. Liquidity is sometimes static. Most of them move in a straight line, some rotate in a stationary position, some rotate constantly, and some run in an obviously complicated path. Life-span spherical lightning usually lasts for several seconds, such as 7-8 seconds, and some can last more than 1 minute. Some behaviors will imitate the movement of objects around them, while others will go straight to the earth. Some ball lightning seems to be "investigating" other objects. Most of them are directed to metal or magnetic objects, which will cause strong collision and sometimes great damage. Lightning balls will jump, decompose, recombine, decay, explode or all these changes will happen at the same time. In rare cases, the sound will crackle or hiss. Smell. Witnesses said it smelled of burning or sulfur. It is also said that sometimes there is a smell of burnt oil or ammonia or ozone.

[Edit this paragraph] Mixed characteristics

Temperature: People who touch ball lightning say it's cold-it just doesn't feel hot. But it can boil pots, fuses and heat metals.

Brightness: Spherical lightning is generally as bright as street lamps. Sometimes they can be seen during the day, but people usually see them at night to light up the earth.

Occurrence: They usually occur during thunderstorms, but rarely before or after them. Most spherical lightning is accompanied by ordinary lightning-hovering and waiting, but sometimes they also hit the earth directly from the clouds like ordinary lightning.

[Edit this paragraph] General properties of spherical lightning

Spherical lightning is still a strange natural phenomenon that people cannot explain. Many witnesses think that ball lightning moves like wisdom, as if it knows where to go. If it enters a room, it usually goes through the door or window and then reaches the corridor. Of course, this is just people's imagination.

According to many eyewitness materials, we can probably outline the basic outline of spherical lightning. This luminous sphere is between the size of a golf ball and a football ball, and its colors are white, green, yellow and orange, and its brightness can be equivalent to a 100 watt light bulb. Generally, the duration of spherical lightning is about 5 ~ 10 second. It will float freely in the near-earth air with the fluctuation of airflow, and sometimes it will go against the wind, and it can go through doors and windows, enter the room, and even go through the chimney of the stove. Sometimes it hovers, sometimes it disappears silently, and sometimes it hits an obstacle and explodes and disappears with a loud noise. Ball lightning runs very slowly, sometimes at the same speed as human beings. In rare cases, it will make a slight whistle, beep or hiss. A common feature is that spherical lightning almost always occurs in thunderstorm days.

[Edit this paragraph] Characteristics of ball lightning

size

The diameter of spherical lightning varies from 15 ~ 30 cm, but some people have seen the diameters of 1 ~ 2 cm and 5 ~ 10 m, which can change the diameter at a fixed frequency, gradually weaken and become smaller, and explosion can increase the volume and end it. You can change the size by decomposition or recombination.

shape

Most reports are spherical or oval, and there are oblate rectangles, cubes, rings, dumbbells, clouds, columns, bullets, cigars, cones, lenses, shields and spirals.

colour

The two most common colors are white and orange, others are red, blue, yellow and green, and silver and black are rare. Some ball lightning will change color.

speed

From standstill to unimaginable high speed (more than 20,000 km/h, but this situation is not in thunderstorm weather), the general speed is about 5 m/s, that is, 18 km/h.

structure

It's like some kind of plasma or cloud. Some of the centers of spherical lightning are transparent, some are hollow, or there is no obvious fixed structure at all. Some ball lightning seems to be changing dynamically.

motility

Sometimes it still does. Most of them move in a straight line, some rotate in a stationary position, some rotate constantly, and some run in an obviously complicated path.

life

Spherical lightning usually lasts for several seconds, such as 7-8 seconds, and some can last for more than 1 minute.

behaviour

Some will imitate the movement of objects around them, while others will go straight to the earth. Some ball lightning seems to be "investigating" other objects. Most of them are directed to metal or magnetic objects, which will cause strong collision and sometimes great damage. Lightning balls will jump, decompose, recombine, decay, explode or all these changes will happen at the same time.

sound

In rare cases, a crackling or hissing sound will be formed.

taste

Witnesses said it smelled of burning or sulfur. It is also said that sometimes there is a smell of burnt oil or ammonia or ozone.

Mixed character

Temperature: People who touch ball lightning say it's cold-it just doesn't feel hot. But it can boil pots, fuses and heat metals.

Brightness: Spherical lightning is generally as bright as street lamps. Sometimes they can be seen during the day, but people usually see them at night to light up the earth.

Occurrence: They usually occur during thunderstorms, but rarely before or after thunderstorms. Most spherical lightning is accompanied by ordinary lightning-hovering and waiting, but sometimes they also hit the earth directly from the clouds like ordinary lightning.