The detached bursts of brilliance might explain why the lowest point of a lightning bolt will sometimes suddenly brighten by up to 50% and double its speed as it hurtles to Earth.
Atmospheric electricity
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Considering Atmospheric Electricity in Climate Models
Researchers create a new model of the electric currents circulating throughout the atmosphere that will improve the accuracy of global climate models.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
How Long Is a Bolt of Lightning?
Better calculations of bolt length could help quantify how much climate-changing nitrogen oxide gas is made when lightning strikes.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Lightning "Impulses" Improve Models of Global Electrical Circuit
New simulations of how thunderstorms drive electrical currents through the Earth's atmosphere combine precision with computational speed.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Gaseous Planets May Have Huge Luminous Rings Caused by Lightning
What business do elves have in the upper atmospheres of gas giants? Plenty, it seems. The enormous ring-shaped phenomena triggered by lightning may occur on Jupiter, Saturn, and exoplanets.
Posted inNews
Experiment Captures First Image of Thunder
Scientists can now visually capture the sound waves created by thunder, a technique that could lead to an increased understanding of how lightning forms and transmits energy.