Ball Lightning–Aerosol Electrochemical Power Source or A Cloud of Batteries

Abstract

Despite numerous attempts, an adequate theoretical and experimental simulation of ball lightning still remains incomplete. According to the model proposed here, the processes of electrochemical oxidation within separate aerosol particles are the basis for this phenomenon, and ball lightning is a cloud of composite nano or submicron particles, where each particle is a spontaneously formed nanobattery which is short-circuited by the surface discharge because it is of such a small size. As free discharge-shorted current loops, aerosol nanobatteries are exposed to a powerful mutual magnetic dipole–dipole attraction. The gaseous products and thermal energy produced by each nanobattery as a result of the intra-particle self-sustaining electrochemical reactions, cause a mutual repulsion of these particles over short distances and prevent their aggregation, while a collectivization of the current loops of separate particles, due to the electric arc overlapping between adjacent particles, weakens their mutual magnetic attraction over short distances. Discharge currents in the range of several amperes to several thousand amperes as well as the pre-explosive mega ampere currents, generated in the reduction–oxidation reactions and distributed between all the aerosol particles, explain both the magnetic attraction between the elements of the ball lightning substance and the impressive electromagnetic effects of ball lightning.

Pairing of charged particles in a quantum plasmoid

“…Note that the model of a composite BL, which is confirmed by observations [34], was also recently discussed in Ref. [44].…”

Stable Langmuir solitons in plasma with diatomic ions

“…However, the analysis of materials which were in contact with these plasma objects demonstrates that plasmoids consist of multiple small kernels. The models of a composite BL were previously discussed by Meshcheryakov (2007);Dvornikov (2012b). It should be noted that the model of BL, consisting of multiple oscillating plasmoids, can explain the visible radiation of such a plasma structure.…”

Charge‐Dipole Acceleration of Polar Gas Molecules towards Charged Nanoparticles: Involvement in Powerful Charge‐Induced Catalysis of Heterophase Chemical Reactions and Ball Lightning Phenomenon

“…It was repeatedly assumed, for example in [18,19], that the high electrostatic charge of lightning balls could play a major role in the existence of ball lightning. Equally we share this opinion, and in the present paper, we will examine the possible role electrostatic charge plays in the life of ball lightning, still assuming that ball lightning is a cloud of combustible aerosol particles that are exposed to a slow, predominantly electrochemical oxidation [20]. Such a process of the electrochemical oxidation of nano or submicron aerosol particles converts these combustible particles into aerosol batteries-further, for short "nanobatteries"-that are periodically (and perhaps with very high frequencies) short-circuited by intra-particle breakdowns.…”

“…Such a process of the electrochemical oxidation of nano or submicron aerosol particles converts these combustible particles into aerosol batteries-further, for short "nanobatteries"-that are periodically (and perhaps with very high frequencies) short-circuited by intra-particle breakdowns. According to [20], we can assume the following.…”