Kath Egerton, residing in Cumbria with stunning views of the Howgills and Lake District, witnessed a peculiar event one evening. After a thunderstorm, she observed a bright glow and a flash of light accompanied by an incredibly loud noise. This observation aligns with a rare and fascinating phenomenon: ball lightning.
While we’re familiar with standard fork lightning – an atmospheric electrical discharge formed in storm clouds, volcanic ash clouds, and dust clouds – ball lightning remains an enigma. It’s estimated that only one in a million lightning strikes result in this phenomenon. Yet, there are numerous accounts of these bright, spherical lights lingering in the sky.
Historical Accounts and Descriptions of Ball Lightning
Throughout history, people have reported seeing something resembling ball lightning. The Great Thunderstorm at Widecombe-in-the-Moor in 1638 described a 2.4m ball of fire entering a church, causing destruction and injury. In 1944, a ball of lightning even passed through a closed window in Sweden, leaving a circular hole.
In Ebenezer Cobham Brewer’s 1864 edition of A Guide to the Scientific Knowledge of Things Familiar, globular lightning is discussed as slow-moving balls of fire or explosive gas. These balls might split into smaller balls and explode violently. Accounts describe ball lightning ranging in size, hovering, rolling, or crashing through windows, lasting from seconds to minutes before disappearing or exploding.
Kath’s experience shares similarities with these descriptions. She saw a glow of light on the grass followed by a bright orangey-yellow light flashing past, accompanied by a loud noise. This led her to report her observation to the Tornado and Storm Research Organisation (TORRO).
Scientific Theories and Research
Despite numerous accounts, some scientists remain skeptical about the existence of ball lightning. One explanation suggests it’s simply an after-image on the eye. However, the prevailing theory is the atmospheric maser theory. This theory suggests electrical activity excites charged water molecules, causing light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation, akin to a laser effect. Replicating this process in a lab is crucial for confirmation.
Nikola Tesla reportedly created ball lightning in his lab in the late 1890s. While he didn’t document his methods sufficiently for replication, Russian scientists created plasma balls in a lab in 2002. This inspired Mike Lindsay, leading a research team to produce a similar phenomenon.
Recent Laboratory Experiments
Lindsay’s team in Colorado successfully created and sustained clouds of plasma. Their study, published in the Journal of Physical Chemistry, described the creation of these “plasmoids” through electrical arcs to an electrolyte solution.
Dr. Lindsay clarified that these “plasmoids” are not necessarily lightning but share similarities in the initial stages of electrical discharge. Imaging techniques revealed the presence of water vapor and carbon dioxide within these balls.
The Ongoing Quest to Understand
Dr. Lindsay notes that “Ball lightning is used almost generically to describe phenomena seen in nature that aren’t described by normal lightning… And likely it’s not one thing but several things that have similar observables.” This underscores the complexity of the phenomenon and the ongoing research needed to fully understand it.
Ball lightning remains a mysterious and captivating phenomenon. While observations like Kath Egerton’s provide valuable data, and lab experiments offer potential explanations, further research is crucial to fully unravel its secrets. Organizations like TORRO continue to collect and analyze data, while scientists like Dr. Lindsay continue to push the boundaries of experimental research. The study of “things familiar,” like thunderstorms, can still reveal astonishing and poorly understood phenomena.
