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Lightning is a natural phenomenon, more specifically an atmospheric electrical phenomenon. It consists of electrostatic discharges occurring through the atmosphere between two electrically charged regions, either both existing within the atmosphere or one within the atmosphere and one on the ground, with these regions then becoming partially or wholly electrically neutralized.
There are about 40,000 thunderstorms per day across the globe, generating roughly 100 lightning strikes per second, [1] which can be thought to charge the Earth like a battery. Thunderstorms generate an electrical potential difference between the Earth's surface and the ionosphere, mainly by means of lightning returning current to ground ...
Cloud-to-ground lightning. Typically, lightning discharges 30,000 amperes, at up to 100 million volts, and emits light, radio waves, x-rays and even gamma rays. [1] Plasma temperatures in lightning can approach 28,000 kelvins. Atmospheric electricity describes the electrical charges in the Earth's atmosphere (or that of another planet).
Representation of upper-atmospheric lightning and electrical-discharge phenomena Discovery image of a TLE on Jupiter by the NASA Juno probe. [1]Upper-atmospheric lightning and ionospheric lightning are terms sometimes used by researchers to refer to a family of short-lived electrical-breakdown phenomena that occur well above the altitudes of normal lightning and storm clouds.
Evidence of lightning activity can often be found in the paleomagnetic record. Lightning strikes are the result of tremendous charge buildup in clouds. This excess charge is transferred to the ground via lightning channels, which carry a strong electric current. Because of the intensity of this electric current, when lightning hits the ground ...
Lightning currents have a very fast rise time, on the order of 40 kA per microsecond. Hence, although lightning is a form of direct current, conductors of such currents exhibit marked skin effect as with an alternating current, causing most of the currents to flow through the outer surface of the conductor. [32]
Heiligenschein or halo effect, partly caused by the opposition effect; Ice blink; Light pillar; Lightning; Mirages (including Fata Morgana) Monochrome Rainbow; Moon dog; Moonbow; Nacreous cloud/Polar stratospheric cloud; Rainbow; Sprite (lightning) Subsun; Sun dog; Tangent arc; Tyndall effect; Upper-atmospheric lightning, including red sprites ...
Volcanic lightning is an electrical discharge caused by a volcanic eruption rather than from an ordinary thunderstorm.Volcanic lightning arises from colliding, fragmenting particles of volcanic ash (and sometimes ice), [1] [2] which generate static electricity within the volcanic plume, [3] leading to the name dirty thunderstorm.