15.10.2019 Heaters

How many types of lightning are there in reality? It turns out that there are more than ten species, and the most interesting of them are given in this article. Naturally, there are not only bare facts here, but also real photographs of real lightning.

So, the types of lightning will be considered in order, from the most common linear lightning to the rarest sprite lightning. Each type of lightning is given one or more photos that help to understand what such lightning really is.

L frost lightning (cloud-earth)

How to get such lightning? Yes, it's very simple - all that is required is a couple of hundred cubic kilometers of air, a height sufficient for the formation of lightning and a powerful heat engine - well, for example, the Earth. Ready? Now take the air and sequentially begin to heat it. When it starts to rise, with each meter of rise, the heated air cools, gradually becoming colder and colder. Water condenses into ever larger droplets, forming thunderclouds. Remember those dark clouds above the horizon, at the sight of which the birds fall silent and the trees stop rustling? So, these are the thunderclouds that give rise to lightning and thunder.

Scientists believe that lightning is formed as a result of the distribution of electrons in the cloud, usually positively charged from the top of the cloud, and negatively from. The result is a very powerful capacitor that can be discharged from time to time as a result of the abrupt transformation of ordinary air into plasma (this is due to the increasingly strong ionization of atmospheric layers close to thunderclouds). Plasma forms peculiar channels, which, when connected to the ground, serve as an excellent conductor for electricity. Clouds are constantly discharged through these channels, and we see the external manifestations of these atmospheric phenomena in the form of lightning.

By the way, the air temperature in the place where the charge (lightning) passes reaches 30 thousand degrees, and the speed of lightning propagation is 200 thousand kilometers per hour. In general, a few lightning bolts were enough to power a small town for several months.

And there are such lightning. They are formed as a result of the accumulating electrostatic charge on top of the tallest object on earth, which makes it very "attractive" for lightning. Such lightnings are formed as a result of "piercing" the air gap between the top of a charged object and the bottom of a thundercloud.

The higher the object, the more likely it is to be struck by lightning. So they say the truth - you should not hide from the rain under tall trees.

Yes, individual clouds can “exchange” with lightning, striking each other with electric charges. It's simple - since the upper part of the cloud is positively charged, and the lower part is negatively charged, nearby thunderclouds can shoot each other with electric charges.

It is quite common for lightning to pierce one cloud, and much rarer for lightning to travel from one cloud to another.

This lightning does not hit the ground, it spreads horizontally across the sky. Sometimes such lightning can spread across a clear sky, coming from a single thundercloud. Such lightning is very powerful and very dangerous.

This lightning looks like several lightning bolts running parallel to each other. There is no mystery in their formation - if a strong wind blows, it can expand the plasma channels, which we wrote about above, and as a result, such a differentiated lightning is formed.

This is a very, very rare lightning, it exists, yes, but how it is formed is still anyone's guess. Scientists suggest that dotted lightning is formed as a result of the rapid cooling of some sections of the lightning track, which turns ordinary lightning into dotted lightning. As you can see, this explanation clearly needs to be improved and supplemented.

So far, we have only talked about what happens below the clouds, or at their level. But it turns out that some types of lightning are higher than clouds. They have been known about since the advent of jet aircraft, but these lightnings were photographed and filmed on video only in 1994. Most of all, they look like jellyfish, right? The height of the formation of such lightning is about 100 kilometers. So far, it is not very clear what they are.

Here are photos and even videos of unique sprite lightning. Very beautiful.

Some people claim that ball lightning does not exist. Others post videos of fireballs on YouTube and prove it's all real. In general, scientists are not yet firmly convinced of the existence of ball lightning, and the most famous proof of their reality is a photo taken by a Japanese student.

This, in principle, is not lightning, but simply the phenomenon of a glow discharge at the end of various sharp objects. The fires of St. Elmo were known in antiquity, now they are described in detail and captured on film.

These are very beautiful lightning bolts that appear during a volcanic eruption. It is likely that the charged gas-dust dome, penetrating several layers of the atmosphere at once, causes disturbances, since it itself carries a rather significant charge. It all looks very nice, but creepy. Scientists do not yet know exactly why such lightning is formed, and there are several theories at once, one of which is outlined above.

Here are some interesting facts about lightning that are not often published:

* Typical lightning lasts about a quarter of a second and consists of 3-4 discharges.

* An average thunderstorm travels at a speed of 40 km per hour.

* There are 1,800 thunderstorms in the world right now.

* The US Empire State Building is struck by lightning an average of 23 times a year.

* Lightning strikes aircraft on average once every 5-10 thousand flight hours.

* The probability of being killed by lightning is 1 in 2,000,000. Each of us has the same chance of dying from falling out of bed.

* The probability of seeing ball lightning at least once in a lifetime is 1 in 10,000.

* People who were struck by lightning were considered marked by God. And if they died, they supposedly went straight to heaven. In ancient times, victims of lightning were buried at the place of death.

What should you do when lightning approaches?

In the house

* Close all windows and doors.
* Unplug all electrical appliances. Do not touch them, including phones, during thunderstorms.
* Keep away from bathtubs, faucets and sinks as metal pipes can conduct electricity.
* If ball lightning has flown into the room, try to get out quickly and close the door on the other side. If not, at least freeze in place.

On the street

* Try to go into the house or car. Do not touch metal parts in the car. The car should not be parked under a tree: suddenly lightning will strike it and the tree will fall right on you.
* If there is no shelter, go out into the open and, bending over, snuggle up to the ground. But you can't just lie down!
* In the forest, it is better to hide under low bushes. NEVER stand under a free-standing tree.
* Avoid towers, fences, tall trees, telephone and electrical wires, bus stops.
* Stay away from bicycles, barbecues, other metal objects.
* Keep away from the lake, river or other bodies of water.
* Remove all metal from yourself.
* Do not stand in the crowd.
* If you are in an open area and you suddenly feel your hair stand on end or hear a strange noise coming from objects (that means lightning is about to strike!), bend forward with your hands on your knees (but not on the ground). The legs should be together, the heels pressed against each other (if the legs do not touch, the discharge will pass through the body).
* If a thunderstorm caught you in a boat and you no longer have time to swim to the shore, bend down to the bottom of the boat, join your legs and cover your head and ears.

Most likely, many readers of the site " Earth Science News» know that there are several types of lightning, but even the most educated people are sometimes unaware of how many types of lightning actually exist. It turns out that there are more than ten types of them, and reviews of the most interesting lightning are given in this article. Naturally, there are not only bare facts here, but also real photographs of real lightning. To be honest, the authors are surprised by the professionalism of photographers who are able to capture these atmospheric phenomena so clearly.

So let's start with cloud-to-ground linear lightning

By the way, the air temperature in the place where the charge (lightning) passes reaches 30,000 degrees, and the speed of lightning propagation is 200,000 kilometers per hour. In general, a few lightning bolts were enough to power a small town for several months.

lightning ground- cloud

And there are such lightning. They are formed as a result of the accumulating electrostatic charge on top of the tallest object on earth, which makes it very "attractive" for lightning. Such lightning is formed as a result of "breaking through" the air gap between the top of a charged object and the bottom of a thundercloud.

The higher the object, the more likely it is to be struck by lightning. So they say the truth - you should not hide from the rain under tall trees.

lightning cloud-cloud

Yes, individual clouds can also “exchange” lightning, striking each other with electric charges. It's simple - since the upper part of the cloud is positively charged, and the lower part is negatively charged, nearby thunderclouds can shoot electric charges at each other.

It is quite common for lightning to pierce one cloud, and much rarer for lightning to travel from one cloud to another.

Horizontal zipper

Tape zipper

Beaded (dotted zipper)

This is a very, very rare lightning, yes, it exists, but how it is formed is still anyone's guess. Scientists suggest that dotted lightning is formed as a result of the rapid cooling of some sections of the lightning track, which turns ordinary lightning into dotted lightning. As you can see, this explanation clearly needs to be improved and supplemented.

sprite lightning

Here are photos and even videos of unique sprite lightning. Very beautiful, isn't it?

Ball lightning

Some people claim that ball lightning does not exist. Others post videos of fireballs on YouTube and prove that this is all real. In general, scientists are not yet firmly convinced of the existence of ball lightning, and the most famous proof of their reality is a photo taken by a Japanese student.

Saint Elmo's fires

Volcanic lightning

Here are some interesting facts about lightning that are not often published:

* Typical lightning lasts about a quarter of a second and consists of 3-4 discharges.

* An average thunderstorm travels at a speed of 40 km per hour.

* There are 1,800 thunderstorms in the world right now.

* The US Empire State Building is struck by lightning an average of 23 times a year.

* Lightning strikes aircraft on average once every 5-10 thousand flight hours.

* The probability of being killed by lightning is 1 in 2,000,000. Each of us has the same chance of dying from falling out of bed.

* The probability of seeing ball lightning at least once in a lifetime is 1 in 10,000.

What should you do when lightning approaches?

In the house

On the street

The clouds spread their wings and closed the sun from us ...

Why do we sometimes hear thunder and see lightning when it rains? Where do these outbreaks come from? Now we will talk about this in detail.

What is lightning?

What is lightning? This is an amazing and very mysterious phenomenon of nature. It almost always happens during a thunderstorm. Some people are amazed, some people are scared. Poets write about lightning, scientists study this phenomenon. But much remains unsolved.

One thing is known for sure - it's a giant spark. Like a billion light bulbs exploded! Its length is huge - several hundred kilometers! And it is very far from us. That is why we first see it, and only then we hear it. Thunder is the "voice" of lightning. After all, light reaches us faster than sound.

And there are lightning on other planets. For example, on Mars or Venus. Normal lightning lasts only a fraction of a second. It consists of several categories. Lightning appears sometimes quite unexpectedly.

How is lightning formed?

Lightning is usually born in a thundercloud, high above the ground. Thunderclouds appear when the air starts to get very hot. That's why after a heat wave there are amazing thunderstorms. Billions of charged particles literally flock to the place where it originates. And when there are very, very many of them, they flare up. That's where lightning comes from - from a thundercloud. She can hit the ground. The earth draws her. But it can break in the cloud itself. It all depends on what kind of lightning it is.

What are lightning bolts?

There are different types of lightning. And you need to know about it. This is not only a "ribbon" in the sky. All these "ribbons" are different from each other.

Lightning is always a strike, it is always a discharge between something. There are more than ten of them! For now, we will name only the most basic ones, attaching pictures of lightning to them:

Between thundercloud and earth. These are the very "ribbons" to which we are accustomed.

Between a tall tree and a cloud. The same "ribbon", but the blow is directed in the other direction.

Tape lightning - when not one "ribbon", but several in parallel.

Between cloud and cloud, or simply “play out” in one cloud. This type of lightning is often seen during thunderstorms. You just need to be careful.

There are also horizontal lightnings that do not touch the ground at all. They are endowed with colossal strength and are considered the most dangerous

Everyone has heard of ball lightning! Few people have seen them. There are even fewer who would like to see them. And there are people who do not believe in their existence. But fireballs do exist! Photographing such lightning is difficult. It explodes quickly, although it can “walk”, but it’s better for a person next to her not to move - it’s dangerous. So - not up to the camera here.

A type of lightning with a very beautiful name - "Fires of St. Elmo". But it's not really lightning. This is the glow that appears at the end of a thunderstorm on pointed buildings, lanterns, ship masts. Also a spark, only not damped and not dangerous. The fires of St. Elmo are very beautiful.

Volcanic lightning occurs when a volcano erupts. The volcano itself already has a charge. This is probably what causes lightning.

Sprite lightning is something you can't see from Earth. They arise above the clouds and so far few people have been studying them. These lightning bolts look like jellyfish.

Dotted lightning is almost not studied. It is extremely rare to see it. Visually, it really looks like a dotted line - as if the lightning-ribbon is melting.

These are the different types of lightning. There is only one law for them - an electric discharge.

Conclusion.

Even in ancient times, lightning was considered both a sign and the fury of the Gods. She was a mystery before and remains so now. No matter how they decompose it into the smallest atoms and molecules! And it's always amazingly beautiful!

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Lightning in terms of electricity

The electrical nature of lightning was revealed in the research of the American physicist B. Franklin, on whose initiative an experiment was carried out to extract electricity from a thundercloud. Franklin's experience in elucidating the electrical nature of lightning is widely known. In 1750, he published a work in which he described an experiment using a kite launched into a thunderstorm. Franklin's experience was described in the work of Joseph Priestley.

The average lightning length is 2.5 km, some discharges extend in the atmosphere for a distance of up to 20 km.

How does lightning form? Most often, lightning occurs in cumulonimbus clouds, then they are called thunderstorms. Sometimes lightning is formed in nimbus clouds, as well as during volcanic eruptions, tornadoes and dust storms.

Scheme of the occurrence of lightning: a - formation; b - rank.

For lightning to occur, it is necessary that in a relatively small (but not less than some critical) volume of the cloud an electric field with a strength sufficient to start an electric discharge (~ 1 MV / m) is formed, and in a significant part of the cloud there is a field with an average strength sufficient to maintain the discharge that has begun (~ 0.1-0.2 MV / m). In lightning, the electrical energy of the cloud is converted into heat and light.

Linear lightnings are usually observed, which belong to the so-called electrodeless discharges, since they begin (and end) in clusters of charged particles. This determines some of their still unexplained properties that distinguish lightning from discharges between electrodes.

Thus, lightning is never shorter than a few hundred meters; they arise in electric fields much weaker than the fields during interelectrode discharges; the collection of charges carried by lightning occurs in thousandths of a second from billions of small, well isolated from each other particles located in a volume of several square kilometers.

The process of development of lightning in thunderclouds has been most studied, while lightning can pass in the clouds themselves (intra-cloud lightning), or they can strike the ground (ground-based lightning).

ground lightning

Scheme of development of ground lightning: a, b - two steps of the leader; 1 - cloud; 2 - streamers; 3 - channel of the stepped leader; 4 - channel crown; 5 - impulse crown on the channel head; c - formation of the main lightning channel (K).

The process of ground lightning development consists of several stages. At the first stage, in the zone where the electric field reaches a critical value, impact ionization begins, initially created by free electrons, which are always present in a small amount in the air, which, under the action of an electric field, acquire significant velocities towards the ground and, colliding with the molecules that make up air, ionize them.

According to more modern ideas, the discharge is initiated by high-energy cosmic rays, which trigger a process called runaway breakdown. Thus, electron avalanches arise, turning into threads of electric discharges - streamers, which are well-conducting channels, which, merging, give rise to a bright thermally ionized channel with high conductivity - a stepped lightning leader.

The movement of the leader to the earth's surface occurs in steps of several tens of meters at a speed of ~ 50,000 kilometers per second, after which its movement stops for several tens of microseconds, and the glow is greatly weakened; then, in the subsequent stage, the leader again advances several tens of meters.

At the same time, a bright glow covers all the steps passed, then the stop and weakening of the glow follow again. These processes are repeated when the leader moves to the surface of the earth at an average speed of 200,000 meters per second. As the leader moves towards the ground, the field strength at its end increases, and under its action, a response streamer is thrown out of objects protruding on the Earth's surface, connecting with the leader. This feature of lightning is used to create a lightning rod.

In the final stage, the leader-ionized channel is followed by a reverse (from bottom to top), or main, lightning discharge, characterized by currents from tens to hundreds of thousands of amperes, a brightness significantly exceeding the brightness of the leader, and a high advance speed, initially reaching ~ 100,000 kilometers per second , and at the end decreasing to ~ 10,000 kilometers per second.

The temperature of the channel during the main discharge can exceed 25,000 °C. The length of the lightning channel can be from 1 to 10 km, the diameter is several centimeters. After the passage of the current pulse, the ionization of the channel and its glow weaken. In the final stage, the lightning current can last hundredths and even tenths of a second, reaching hundreds and thousands of amperes. Such lightning is called protracted, they most often cause fires.

The main discharge often discharges only part of the cloud. Charges located at high altitudes can give rise to a new (arrow-shaped) leader moving continuously at a speed of thousands of kilometers per second. The brightness of its glow is close to the brightness of the stepped leader. When the swept leader reaches the surface of the earth, a second main blow follows, similar to the first.

Lightning usually includes several repeated discharges, but their number can reach up to several dozen. The duration of multiple lightning can exceed 1 second. The displacement of the channel of multiple lightning by the wind creates the so-called ribbon lightning - a luminous stripe.

Intracloud lightning

Intracloud lightning usually includes only leader stages, their length varies from 1 to 150 km. The share of intracloud lightning increases with the shift to the equator, changing from 0.5 in temperate latitudes to 0.9 in the equatorial strip. The passage of lightning is accompanied by changes in electric and magnetic fields and radio emission, the so-called atmospherics.

The probability of a ground object being struck by lightning increases as its height increases and with an increase in the electrical conductivity of the soil on the surface or at a certain depth (the action of a lightning rod is based on these factors). If there is an electric field in the cloud that is sufficient to maintain the discharge, but not enough to cause it to occur, a long metal cable or an airplane can play the role of the lightning initiator, especially if it is highly electrically charged. Thus, lightning is sometimes “provoked” in nimbostratus and powerful cumulus clouds.

Every second, about 50 lightning strikes the earth's surface, and on average each square kilometer of it is struck by lightning six times a year.

people and lightning

Lightning is a serious threat to human life. The defeat of a person or animal by lightning often occurs in open spaces, because. electric current follows the shortest path "thundercloud-earth". Lightning often hits trees and transformer installations on the railway, causing them to ignite.

It is impossible to be struck by ordinary linear lightning inside a building, but there is an opinion that the so-called ball lightning can penetrate through cracks and open windows. Ordinary lightning is dangerous for television and radio antennas located on the roofs of high-rise buildings, as well as for network equipment.

In the body of victims of lightning, the same pathological changes are noted as in case of electric shock. The victim loses consciousness, falls, convulsions may begin, breathing and heartbeat often stop. On the body, you can usually find "current marks" - the points of entry and exit of electricity.

These are tree-like light pink or red stripes that disappear when pressed with fingers (they persist for 1-2 days after death). They are the result of expansion of capillaries in the zone of lightning contact with the body. In the event of a fatal outcome, the cause of the cessation of basic vital functions is a sudden cessation of breathing and heartbeat from the direct action of lightning on the respiratory and vasomotor centers of the medulla oblongata.

When struck by lightning, the first medical aid should be urgent. In severe cases (stopping breathing and palpitations), resuscitation is necessary, it should be provided, without waiting for medical workers, by any witness of the misfortune. Resuscitation is effective only in the first minutes after a lightning strike, after 10-15 minutes it is usually ineffective. Emergency hospitalization is necessary in all cases.

lightning victims

In mythology and literature:

Asclepius (Aesculapius), the son of Apollo - the god of doctors and medical art, not only healed, but also revived the dead. To restore the disturbed world order, Zeus struck him with his lightning;
Phaethon, the son of the sun god Helios, once undertook to drive the sun chariot of his father, but could not restrain the fire-breathing horses and almost destroyed the Earth in a terrible flame. Enraged Zeus pierced Phaethon with lightning.

Historical figures:

Russian academician G. V. Richman - in 1753 he died from a lightning strike;
People's Deputy of Ukraine, ex-governor of the Rivne region V. Chervoniy July 4, 2009 died from a lightning strike.

Roy Sully Van survived after being struck by lightning seven times;
American Major Summerford died after a long illness (the result of a third lightning strike). The fourth lightning completely destroyed his monument in the cemetery;
among the Andean Indians, a lightning strike is considered necessary to reach the highest levels of shamanic initiation.

Trees and lightning

Tall trees are a frequent target for lightning. Long-lived relict trees can easily be found with multiple lightning scars. It is believed that a tree standing alone is more likely to be struck by lightning, although in some forested areas, lightning scars can be seen on almost every tree. Dry trees catch fire when struck by lightning. More often lightning strikes are directed at oak, less often at beech, which, apparently, depends on the different amount of fatty oils in them, which present a great resistance to electricity.

Lightning travels in a tree trunk along the path of least electrical resistance, with the release of a large amount of heat, turning water into steam, which splits the tree trunk or more often tears off sections of the bark from it, showing the path of lightning.

In subsequent seasons, the trees usually regenerate damaged tissue and may close the entire wound, leaving only a vertical scar. If the damage is too severe, wind and pests will eventually kill the tree. Trees are natural lightning rods and are known to provide lightning protection for nearby buildings. Tall trees planted near the building trap lightning, and the high biomass of the root system helps to ground the lightning strike.

From trees struck by lightning, musical instruments are made, attributing to them unique properties.

Scientists know that linear lightning - the kind you often see during thunderstorms - is a spark discharge of huge electric charges that accumulate under special conditions in the lower atmosphere. The shape of lightning usually resembles the roots of a giant tree that has suddenly grown in the sky. The length of linear lightning is usually several kilometers, but can reach 20 km or more. The main "spark" of lightning has several branches 2-3 km long. The diameter of the lightning channel is from 10 to 45 cm, and it "lives" only tenths of a second. Its average speed is about 150 km/s.

Most often, lightning occurs in powerful cumulonimbus clouds - they are also called thunderstorms. Less commonly, lightning occurs in nimbostratus clouds, as well as during volcanic eruptions, tornadoes, and dust storms.

Lightning discharges can occur between neighboring electrified clouds, between a charged cloud and the ground, or between different parts of the same cloud. In order for a discharge to occur, a very significant difference in electrical potential must occur. This can happen during rain, snowfall, hail and other complex natural processes. The potential difference can be tens of millions of volts, and the current inside the lightning channel reaches 20,000 amperes.

Scientists still have not come to a consensus on how and why such huge charges arise in thunderclouds. There are several theories on this subject, and each of them describes at least one of the reasons for this phenomenon. So, in 1929, a theory appeared that explains the electrification in a thundercloud by the fact that raindrops are crushed by air currents. Larger drops are positively charged and fall down, while smaller ones remaining in the upper part of the cloud acquire a negative charge. Another theory - it is called induction - suggests that the electric charges in the cloud are separated by the electric field of the Earth, which itself is negatively charged. There is another theory - its authors believe that electrification occurs as a result of the fact that drops of different sizes in the atmosphere absorb gas ions with different charges.

About 100 linear lightning discharges occur on Earth every second, and during the year it strikes every square kilometer of its surface six times. Sometimes lightning can behave in a completely inexplicable way.

There are cases when lightning:

She burned linen on a man, leaving his outer clothing intact;

She snatched metal objects from the hands of a person and did not harm him;

Melted together all the coins in the wallet without damaging the paper money;

She completely destroyed the medallion on the chain worn around the neck, leaving on the skin of a person the imprint of the chain and the medallion, which did not come off for several years;

Three times she hit a man without harming him, and when he died after a long illness, for the fourth time she landed on a monument on his grave.

Even stranger stories are told about people struck by lightning, but not all of them have confirmation. The only thing that the statistics show is that lightning strikes men six times more often than women.

Even though the force of the discharge is incredibly high, most people who get struck by lightning do not die. This happens because the main lightning current seems to “flow” over the surface of the human body. Most often, the case is limited to severe burns and lesions of the cardiovascular and nervous systems, and the victim of this natural phenomenon needs urgent medical attention.

The most frequent "target" of lightning are tall trees, primarily oaks and beeches. Interestingly, among violin and guitar makers, the wood of trees struck by lightning is considered endowed with unique acoustic properties.

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