Telsa Tornandos, was: Sword-like VTTC spark pics

["Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>]

Original poster: "by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>" <Tesla729-at-cs-dot-com>

In a message dated 2/7/01 7:44:43 PM Pacific Standard Time, tesla-at-pupman-dot-com 
writes:

John Freau wrote:
<<   This spark, which was similar to my sword
 > like VTTC spark, actually rotated like a corkscrew or vortex.  He
 > called this type of spark a "sprite".  >>

and Malcolm Watts wrote:
<< I would call it a Tesla Tornado.

<<:)
<< Malcolm >>>

Hi all,
Now that this effect is under discussion, I recall one of my coils that
I built several years ago that would occasionally produce a spark that
would look almost like a long, slender power arc. It had two large SS
salad bowls turned end-to-end as the discharge terminal and the un-
usual sparks would emanate from the top of it and strike the ceiling 
(yes, a fire hazard for sure !)  Anyway, these "tornado" sparks had 
a flaming yellowish-purple color to them and they drifted around from
almost the same spot on top of the top salad bowl to strike the ceiling for 
several seconds before finally breaking and resuming the more typical type 
of Tesla discharges from various places on the salad bowl terminal. It
seems like that this effect was discussed on the list several months
ago (John Freau?). I have never noticed this effect from the conventional
toroid shaped discharge terminal. How many other coilers have noticed 
this phenomenon and has anyone ever seen this effect with a toroid 
type terminal or is it an effect that is exclusive to spherical or semi-
spherical terminals?

David Rieben