Behavior of self-confined spherical layer of light radiation in the air atmosphere

Torchigin, V.P.; Torchigin, A.V.

doi:10.1016/j.physleta.2004.06.022

Cited by 39 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 5 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…The current in the collector circuit is connected with the destruction of the ball lightning. It also gives a reason to believe that ball lightning is not a spherical layer of light radiation (Torchigin and Torchigin 2004) or phosphene (Peer and Kendl 2010). Typical wave fronts of the microwave radiation and bremsstrahlung from the absorbing filter in 'Prometheus-2' are given in Fig.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The fact that the ball lightning is generated in an electrical discharge is a single general feature for majority of the models. Some researchers believe that ball lightning is a spherical layer of light radiation (Torchigin and Torchigin 2004) or a clot of hot air with an overall positive charge (Fedosin and Kim 2001). There is also a hypothesis that ball lightning is a phosphene created in the human brain under the influence of a strong electromagnetic field in an electric discharge (Peer and Kendl 2010).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

An investigation of the generation and properties of laboratory-produced ball lightning

Oreshko

2015

J. Plasma Phys.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The experiments revealed that ball lightning is a self-confining quasi-neutral in a whole plasma system that rotates around its axis. Ball lightning has a structure of a spherical electric domain, consisting of a kernel with excess negative charge and an external spherical layer with excess positive charge. The excess of charges of one sort and the lack of charges of the other sort in the kernel or in the external spherical layer significantly reduces the possibility of electron capture by means of an electric field, created by the nearest ions and leads to a drastic slowdown of recombination process. Direct proof has been obtained that inside of ball lightning – in an external spherical layer that rotates around the axis – there is a circular current of sub-relativistic particles. This current creates and maintains its own poloidal magnetic field of ball lightning, i.e. it carries out the function of magnetic dynamo. The kernel of ball lightning is situated in a region with minimum values of induction of the magnetic field. The inequality of positive and negative charges in elements of ball lightning also significantly reduces losses of the charged plasma on bremsstrahlung. Ball lightning generation occurs in a plasmic vortex. The ball lightning energy in the region of its generation significantly differs from the ball lightning energy, which is drifting in space. The axial component of kinetic energy of particles slightly exceeds 100 keV and the rotational component of the ions energy is a bit greater than 1 MeV. Ball lightning is ‘embedded’ in atmosphere autonomous accelerator of charged particles of a cyclotron type due to self-generation of strong crossed electric and magnetic fields. A discussion of the conditions of stability and long-term existence of ball lightning is given.

show abstract

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

An investigation of the generation and properties of laboratory-produced ball lightning

Oreshko

2015

J. Plasma Phys.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Under this conviction, Torchigin [48] proposed a new BL model that, at first glance, could be classified as a purely optical one. Torchigin and Torchigin [49] explore the behavior of a hypothetical, self-confined, spherical layer of intensive light that experiences total inner reflection. The light circulates in a spherical compressed air layer that works as an optical thin-film wave-guide, after emerging from a lightning strike bolt [48].…”

Section: An Optical Modelmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Riddle of Ball Lightning: A Review

Donoso

Trueba

Rañada

2006

The Scientific World JOURNAL

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

One of the most intriguing and enduring scientific challenges is to find an explanation for ball lightning, the shining fireballs that sometimes appear near lightning strokes. Although many theoretical ideas have been proposed and much experimental work has been performed, there is not yet an accepted explanation of their amazing properties. They are surprisingly stable, lasting up to 10 s, even minutes in some rare cases. By night, their appearance can be spectacular, but their brilliance is just similar to that of a home electric bulb. Most of the time, their motion is smooth and horizontal, but it can also be erratic and chaotic; they can penetrate indoors through window panes. We review here some of the most discussed approaches, including both theoretical models to find an explanation as well as experimental efforts to reproduce them in the laboratory. We distinguish between chemical and physical models, depending on whether their stability is mainly based on their chemical composition or on purely physical phenomena involving electromagnetic fields and plasmas.

show abstract

“…division of the Tornado and Storm Research organisation (TORRO) dedicated to BL. The most recently published theory is that BL is a bubble of light (Torchigin and Torchigin 2005), but alternative explanations include BL as a highly charged polymer-dielectric structure (Bychkov 2002), an astrophysical "little black hole" (Rabinowitz 2001), a ball of supercooled nonideal plasma (Norman 2000), an electromagnetic knot (Ranada and Trueba 1996) or a ball of metal nanoparticle oxide formed by lightning strikes (Abrahamson and Dinniss 2000). Some BL events could be caused by anti-matter meteorites (Ashby and Whitehead 1971), microwave interference in the air (Ohtsuki and Ofuruton 1991) or optical illusions (Argyle 1971).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Some BL events could be caused by anti-matter meteorites (Ashby and Whitehead 1971), microwave interference in the air (Ohtsuki and Ofuruton 1991) or optical illusions (Argyle 1971). Torchigin and Torchigin (2005) have pointed out that BL can be described as "a flying bag of paradoxes" and is so difficult to study simply because "BL does not resemble anything which may be usually seen by people in Nature and scientists in their laboratories. "…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Ball lightning and fireballs during volcanic air pollution

Durand¹,

Wilson²

2006

Weather

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Ball lightning (BL) is a curious and enigmatic phenomenon: "the luminous formation in the air, usually of spherical form, that is not attached to an object; it moves freely in the air and has a long lifetime" (Smirnov 1987). Despite ~10 000 recorded sightings, the spontaneous and unpredictable nature of BL has made it notoriously difficult to study with scientific rigour in the field (Fig. 1). At least 2000 research articles have been published on BL since 1970 (see for example,

show abstract

Behavior of self-confined spherical layer of light radiation in the air atmosphere

Cited by 39 publications

References 5 publications

An investigation of the generation and properties of laboratory-produced ball lightning

An investigation of the generation and properties of laboratory-produced ball lightning

The Riddle of Ball Lightning: A Review

Ball lightning and fireballs during volcanic air pollution

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About