What does the color of lightning say? Types of lightning: linear, intracloud, ground

In the section on the question Are lightning bright of blue color And what does the color depend on? given by the author Lost World the best answer is Linear lightning can be several kilometers long. The potential difference between the discharge points can reach up to 109 V. The duration of the discharge (lightning) is from tenths to thousandths of a second. The discharge current is in the range of 103 ... 105 A. The total charge carried by lightning reaches 100 C. The amount of released energy can reach 10^9...10^10 J.
Observers report that sometimes several fireballs jump out of a brightly luminous ball that appears at the lower end of a linear lightning discharge. Ball lightning is observed, which is divided into several small lightnings. Ball lightnings were observed, from which, even during the explosion, lightning of a smaller size jumped out.
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The color of lightning is not always the same. This is especially noticeable during a night thunderstorm. There are lightning blue, white, greenish, red.
What is the reason for the color differences? In my opinion, the color of lightning depends on the medium through which the beam of light passes from the lightning to the eye of the observer. So, for example, if light comes through a veil of rain, then the color of lightning will be greenish-blue, because water vapor and raindrops absorb red light rays.
The cause of red or red-orange lightning can be either very light rain or no rain (dry thunderstorm). Then the red rays of light begin to prevail over the yellow and blue ones, which are scattered due to the fault of aerosol particles floating in the air.
Otherwise, raindrops absorb red rays, while aerosol particles absorb yellow rays. Then we see white-blue lightning. The blue color of lightning can also be evidence of a high concentration of ozone.
Raindrops absorb (absorb) the red color, and the particles yellow. This means that if we mix the remaining colors of the light spectrum, we get blue. Is this how it works when mixed? And then, a raindrop is water. Water has a different color, because it contains various particles from which light is reflected. If it's "crystal" pure water, then it must absorb the entire spectrum
An example of red lightning during a "dry" thunderstorm:
See this and other photos of lightning here: link

By carefully observing thunderstorms, you can see that lightning was yut of various colors.
By the color of lightning you can judge about the properties of the surrounding air: a flash of red - rain in a cloud, blue - hail, yellow - dust.
White color indicates that the air is very dry. Such lightning is especially dangerous, because it often causes fires when discharged into the ground.

Do mobile phones attract lightning?

For the first time in 2005, the Chinese Meteorological Service reported that a tourist on the Great Chinese wall, died during a thunderstorm, talking on mobile phone. Then such messages began to appear more often and from different countries. Do mobile phones attract lightning?

There is such a phenomenon electromagnetic induction discovered by Michael Faraday in 1831. This occurrence electromotive force(EMF) in a conductor located in a changing magnetic field or due to the movement of the conductor relative to a fixed magnetic field.

When talking on a mobile phone during a thunderstorm, interaction of electromagnetic fields lightning and conductors of the switched on device (mobile phones, TVs, computers, refrigerators, even not completely disconnected from the electrical network, but located In standby).

In these devices currents are induced (induced), the strength of which is determined by the rate of change of the magnetic flux. The larger it is, the larger the induced currents. A strong current is a very large heat, it can cause a fire or even an explosion. It's akin electromagnetic impulse, the damaging effect of which is due to the occurrence of voltages and currents in various conductors and in which insulation breakdown occurs, damage to transformers, damage to semiconductor devices, computers (laptops), cell phones, etc.

Which trees are most often struck by lightning?

It has long been noticed that lightning strikes some tree species more often, others less often, and some almost do not touch. This can be judged by the traces of lightning on the trees - these are long stripes without bark, sometimes from the very top to the roots.

Such traces are especially significant in oak. Even in antiquity, it was known that of all trees, oaks are most often struck by lightning. The ancient Slavs called the oak "perun tree" named after the god of heavenly fire Perun. Scientists explain this by the fact that the oak root system is very developed and penetrates deep into the ground, reaching aquifers. Therefore, the oak serves excellent lightning rod.

Statistics show that most often lightning strikes tall oaks and poplarsgrowing in open areas.

Lightning also strikes spruce and pine, less often acacia and almost does not touch maple, hazel, and in the south - bay tree.

So, for every 100 lightning strikes, oak accounts for 54, poplar - 24, spruce - 10, pine - 6, beech - 3, linden - 2, acacia - 1.
Despite such statistics, it should be borne in mind that it is not safe to hide from a thunderstorm under any tree.
It is believed that in normal conditions the atmosphere is always positively charged, and the earth, along with plants, is negatively charged.

It has been established that, depending on the structure, plants have and different electrical conductivity. "Vulnerability" of oak, poplar and conifers associated with their structure and deep root system, which relatively reduces the resistance and thus, as it were, attracts lightning - an instantaneous discharge of atmospheric electricity.

Most often, lightning strikes tall objects that rise above the surrounding area, as well as elevated places, hills, and stones. Therefore, being during a thunderstorm in open area, you need to stop somewhere in the lowland, avoiding clay soil (it has a high electrical conductivity). And if there are no recesses nearby, it is better to lie on the ground and wait out the storm.

If a thunderstorm caught in the forest, it is best to stop in a clearing between the trees, but no closer than 15 m from them and away from the oak. And even better - hide in the thicket of the forest, in the bushes

What is thunder?

Thunder is the sound that accompanies electrical discharges during a thunderstorm or lightning. They represent air vibrations under the influence of very fast pressure increase in the path of lightning, due to strong heating (up to approximately 30,000 ° C). Along the path of lightning, there is a rapid expansion of air - a blast wave.

Since the sound from different points of the lightning trajectory does not arrive at the observer simultaneously and reflected many times from the clouds and the surface of the earth, the thunder has the character of long peals.

Thunder is usually heard at a distance of 15-20 km, and its volume can reach 120 decibels. The length of time between the flash of lightning and the clap of thunder can tell you how far away the storm is. And by observing the changes in this interval, you can determine whether a thunderstorm is approaching or receding.

Lightning is one of those natural phenomena that have long inspired fear in the human race. The greatest minds, such as Aristotle or Lucretius, sought to understand its essence. They believed that it was a ball consisting of fire and sandwiched in the water vapor of the clouds, and, increasing in size, it breaks through them and falls to the ground with a swift spark.

The concept of lightning and its origin

Most often, lightning is formed in which are quite large. The upper part can be located at an altitude of 7 kilometers, and the lower one - only 500 meters above the ground. Considering the atmospheric air temperature, we can conclude that at a level of 3-4 km, the water freezes and turns into ice floes, which, colliding with each other, are electrified. Those who have largest size, receive a negative charge, and the smallest - a positive one. Based on their weight, they are evenly distributed in the cloud by layers. Approaching each other, they form a plasma channel, from which an electric spark, called lightning, is obtained. It got its broken shape due to the fact that on the way to the ground there are often various air particles that form barriers. And to get around them, you have to change the trajectory.

Physical description of lightning

A lightning discharge releases 109 to 1010 joules of energy. Such a colossal amount of electricity is mostly spent on creating a flash of light, which is otherwise called thunder. But even a small part of lightning is enough to do unthinkable things, for example, its discharge can kill a person or destroy a building. Another interesting fact says that it a natural phenomenon capable of melting sand, forming hollow cylinders. This effect is achieved due to high temperature inside the zipper, it can reach 2000 degrees. The time of impact with the ground is also different, it cannot be more than a second. As for power, the pulse amplitude can reach hundreds of kilowatts. Combining all these factors, the most powerful natural discharge of current is obtained, which brings death to everything that it touches. All existing species lightning are very dangerous, and meeting with them is extremely undesirable for a person.

Thunder formation

All types of lightning cannot be imagined without thunder, which does not carry the same danger, but in some cases can lead to network failure and other technical problems. It occurs due to the fact that a warm wave of air, heated by lightning to a temperature hotter than the sun, collides with a cold one. The sound resulting from this is nothing but a wave caused by air vibrations. In most cases, the volume increases towards the end of the roll. This is due to the reflection of sound from the clouds.

What are lightning

It turns out they are all different.

1. Line lightning - the most common variety. An electric peal looks like an overgrown tree turned upside down. Several thinner and shorter "processes" depart from the main canal. The length of such a discharge can reach 20 kilometers, and the current strength is 20,000 amperes. The speed of movement is 150 kilometers per second. The temperature of the plasma filling the lightning channel reaches 10,000 degrees.

2. Intracloud lightning - the origin of this type is accompanied by a change in electric and magnetic fields, radio waves are also emitted. Such a roll is most likely to be found closer to the equator. AT temperate latitudes he appears very rarely. If there is lightning in the cloud, then a foreign object that violates the integrity of the shell, such as an electrified aircraft or a metal cable, can also induce it to get out. The length can vary from 1 to 150 kilometers.

3. Ground lightning - this species goes through several stages. On the first of them, impact ionization begins, which is created at the beginning by free electrons, they are always present in the air. Under the influence electric field elementary particles acquire high speeds and head towards the ground, colliding with the molecules that make up the air. Thus, there are electron avalanches, otherwise called streamers. They are channels that, merging with each other, cause a bright, thermally insulated lightning. It reaches the ground in the form of a small ladder, because there are obstacles in its path, and in order to get around them, it changes direction. The speed of movement is approximately 50,000 kilometers per second.

After the lightning has passed its way, it ends its movement for several tens of microseconds, while the light weakens. After that, the next stage begins: the repetition of the path traveled. The most recent discharge surpasses all the previous ones in brightness, the current strength in it can reach hundreds of thousands of amperes. The temperature inside the channel fluctuates around 25,000 degrees. This type of lightning is the longest, so the consequences can be devastating.

Pearl Lightning

When answering the question of what kind of lightning are, one cannot lose sight of such a rare natural phenomenon. Most often, the discharge passes after the linear one and completely repeats its trajectory. Only now it looks like balls that are at a distance from each other and resemble beads made of precious material. Such lightning is accompanied by the loudest and rolling sounds.

Ball lightning

A natural phenomenon when lightning takes the form of a ball. In this case, the trajectory of its flight becomes unpredictable, which makes it even more dangerous for humans. In most cases, such an electric lump occurs together with other species, but the fact of its appearance even in sunny weather has been recorded.

How it is formed It is this question that is most often asked by people who have encountered this phenomenon. As everyone knows, some things are excellent conductors of electricity, and so it is in them, accumulating their charge, that the ball begins to emerge. It can also appear from the main lightning. Eyewitnesses say that it just appears out of nowhere.

Lightning diameter ranges from a few centimeters to a meter. As for the color, there are several options: from white and yellow to bright green, it is extremely rare to find a black electric ball. After a rapid descent, it moves horizontally, about a meter from the surface of the earth. Such lightning can suddenly change its trajectory and just as suddenly disappear, releasing huge energy, due to which melting or even destruction of various objects occurs. She lives from ten seconds to several hours.

lightning sprite

More recently, in 1989, scientists discovered another type of lightning, which was called sprite. The discovery happened quite by accident, because the phenomenon is extremely rare and lasts only tenths of a second. They are distinguished from others by the height at which they appear - approximately 50-130 kilometers, while other subspecies do not overcome the 15-kilometer line. Also, the lightning sprite has a huge diameter, which reaches 100 km. They appear vertical and flash in clusters. Their color varies depending on the composition of the air: closer to the ground, where there is more oxygen, they are green, yellow or white, but under the influence of nitrogen, at an altitude of more than 70 km, they acquire a bright red hue.

Behavior during a thunderstorm

All types of lightning carry an extraordinary danger to health and even human life. To avoid electric shock, the following rules should be followed in open areas:

1. In this situation, the highest objects fall into the risk group, so open areas should be avoided. To become lower, it is best to sit down and put your head and chest on your knees, in case of defeat, this posture will protect all vital organs. In no case should you lie flat, so as not to increase the area of ​​\u200b\u200ba possible hit.
2. Also don't hide under tall trees and unprotected structures or metal objects (such as a picnic shed) will also be Unwanted Cover.
3. During a thunderstorm, you should immediately get out of the water, because it is a good conductor. Getting into it, a lightning discharge can easily spread to a person.
4. Under no circumstances should you use your mobile phone.
5. To provide first aid to the victim, it is best to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation and immediately call the rescue service.

Rules of conduct in the house

Indoors, too, there is a danger of injury.

1. If a thunderstorm starts outside, the first thing to do is close all windows and doors.
2. All electrical appliances must be turned off.
3. Stay away from wired telephones and other cables, they are excellent conductors of electricity. Metal pipes have the same effect, so you should not be near plumbing.
4. Knowing how it's made ball lightning and how unpredictable its trajectory is, if it nevertheless got into the room, you must immediately leave it and close all windows and doors. If these actions are not possible, it is better to stand still.

Nature is still beyond the control of man and carries many dangers. All types of lightning are, in essence, the most powerful electrical discharges, which are several times more powerful than all artificially created current sources by man.

Some people are afraid of thunderstorms. Others admire them, considering them an amazing manifestation of the power of nature. We all remember well the lightning that accompanies most thunderstorms. However, there are many different types of this phenomenon. Perhaps you have seen some of them, although you did not know about them; or not seen, but felt.

The type of lightning that most people associate with thunderstorms is called cloud-to-ground. This is a negative charge that strikes the ground and attracts charged objects to itself. (Thermal lightning is the same cloudy-earth lightning, but it occurs far enough, as a result of which the thunder is not heard from it). There are also inter-cloud lightning that never reaches the ground, and intra-cloud lightning that does not leave its "native" cloud.

Sometimes lightning carries and positive charge, especially when it hits from the top of a thundercloud. In this case, it does not descend to the ground, but moves along the horizon. She received a rather elegant name "blue lightning".

Probably, some of you saw a reddish flash high, high in the sky. This is another type of lightning - a red sprite. Its color often corresponds to the name, but not necessarily. Typically, such a flash lasts a few seconds - much longer than most other types of lightning. In fact, only the brightest of the sprites can be clearly distinguished. They are often described as looking like giant jellyfish at the very top of a storm.

Blue jets are another type of lightning that you may have seen but didn't know about. Especially if you have to fly a lot on airplanes. These discharges also shoot upward from thunderclouds and last only a fraction of a second. But during this time they can overcome more than 40 kilometers.

If you're a frequent flyer, you've probably experienced dark lightning as well. This phenomenon has been studied quite recently. It is impossible to see such lightning because it lasts only about 10-100 microseconds. Only occasionally can you see a distinct purple flash. However, it emits radiation - about the same as on a CT scan in a hospital. It's not that much, but dark lightning is very common, and at precisely those altitudes where planes fly. And this makes them a considerable potential threat.

Even higher you can meet the so-called "elves". These are massive electrical impulses in the form of disks. They were captured by space shuttle cameras only in 1992.

Lightning doesn't have to originate in the ionosphere to be mysterious. Scientists are still trying to understand what ball lightning is and how it works. Only recently have they been able to recreate it in the laboratory. Usually such lightning is associated with thunderstorms, but they are also associated with other, more mystical things.

It is believed that so many alleged UFOs were actually fireballs, because they can fly through the sky, appear and disappear in a matter of seconds and turn into different colors. Perhaps this phenomenon was also mistaken for will-o'-the-wisps, which tend to appear in swampy areas and are considered evil spirits. We now know that fireballs exist, but we cannot say exactly how they form and why. This suggests that some types of lightning have remained as mysterious as they were many centuries ago.