BALL LIGHTNING.
Abstract
A brief description of the characteristics of ball lightning is given. The results of calculations of the decay with time of the visible light output, the weight, and the temperature of heated spheres of (1) air, (2) air with trace amounts of sodium, (3) air-carbon mixtures, and (4) air-copper mixtures are discussed. Spheres of ball lightning size initially at 10,000K for the first two cases maintain a total output of visible radiation that is greater than that of a 40 W light bulb for more than 10 seconds; however, the spheres rise due to buoyancy and decay in brightness by more than a factor of 2 every 2 seconds. The latter two mixtures at a few thousand degrees Kelvin and atmospheric pressure can have the same mass density as air at STP and hence will not rise, but their visible light output is not that reported for natural ball lightning. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 01, 1969
- Accession Number
- AD0686094
Entities
People
- M. A. Uman