Atmospheric Electricity -

Spectroscopy of Lightning
“Ball Lightning”
Don Huffman
Chuck Weidman
April 13, 2017
 A Hands-on Introduction
to Spectroscopy

1. White light source – continuum

2. Hydrogen source – line spectrum
3. Extended source – no slit
4. Extended source - slit
 Uses for Slitless Spectroscopy
• 1. Star Clusters
• 2. Microscopic Particles
• 3. Lightning
George

George Abell, “Exploration of the Universe”, Updated Brief Edition. 1969.

 te
Star cluster

Prism
tet
Te t

Film
Plate
tte

Ob
Objective Prism Telescope
Circa 1880
 Pleiades star cluster using
an objective prism telescope

Hyades star cluster using

An objective prism
telescope

From George Abell, “Exploration of the Universe”, 1972.

Switch to the Weidman notes.
 “Ball Lightning”

• Observed occasionally over the last several centuries

• Sizes: 1 to 100 cm; golf ball to basketball size
• Duration: about 1 to 10 seconds
• Color: blue, white, orange
• Has been seen going through screens and windows; down chimneys; along the
aisle of air liners; plunged into a water pool with a hissing sound; occasional
burns to people and objects;
• Various theories – microwave interference, black holes, Martian creatures;
quantum plasmas; focused cosmic rays

• Mark Stenhoff, 1999, “Unsolved Problems in Atmospheric Physics” –

“Unfortunately, a significant fraction (of the theories) can be described as
rubbish.”
 Cawood, W., and H. S. Patterson, “A curious
An old observation phenomenon shown by highly charged
(1931) aerosols,” Nature, 128, 150, 1931.

A nanoparticle Abrahamson, J., and J. Dinniss, “Ball lightning

theory caused by oxidation of nanoparticle networks
(2000) from normal lightning strikes on soil,” Nature
403, 519-521, 2000.

Paiva, G. S., et al., “Production of ball-

A lab experiment lightning-like luminous balls by electrical
(2007) discharges in silicon,” Phys. Rev. Letters, 98,
4805-48501, 2007.

A triggered Hill, J. D., Uman, M. A., “Attempts to create

lightning ball lightning with triggered lightning,” J.
experiment (2010) Atmos. And Solar Terr. Physics, 72, 913, 2010.

Cen, J, P. Yuan, and S. Xue, “Observation of

Spectral results the optical and spectral characteristics of ball
(2014) lightening,” Phys. Rev. Letters, 112, 35001-1,
35001-5, 2014.

Ball, P., “First spectrum of ball lightning,”

Physics, 7, 5, January 17, 2014.
Another good reference (among many)

Smirnov, B.M. “The Properties of ball

lightning, Phys. Reports, 152, 177-226
(1987).
Nanoparticle chains from Abrahamson et al., Nature, 403, 519, 2000.
Proposed formation of “Ball Lightning”
after Abrahamson and Dinniss (2000)
Detail of proposed “Ball Lightning” Production
Fulgerite
A Cube of SiO2 Aerogel
Ae
Aerogel
Video clips from Paiva, et al. – EPAPS Documents
No. E-PRLTAO-98-047705
First “Ball Lightning”
Spectrum

Cen, et al., PRL, 112, 35001

2007.
Spectra of Lightning and “Ball Lightning” from Cen, et al., PRL, 112, 35001)
Motion and size of “Ball Lightning” from Cen et al.
PRL, 112, 35001, 2014
So, What’s in the Future?
Play the BBC video