Re: 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>" <Mddeming-at-aol-dot-com>

In a message dated 2/8/01 8:03:07 PM Eastern Standard Time, tesla-at-pupman-dot-com 
writes: 


>
> Original poster: "Garry Freemyer by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net> 
> " <garry-at-ndfc-dot-com> 
>
> >> David Rieben 
>
> Snip! 
>
> You know, you might just have the hint to what creates these sprites in the 
> subject line. A tornado had an eye of relatively calm air in the middle. 
> perhaps a small whirlwind is being occasionaly created at the top of the 
> sphere and since sparks travel through still air easier than moving air the 
> spark is following the eye of the "Storm". 
>
> It certainly would explain the corkscrew effect. 


Hi Garry! 

Your Eye-of-the-Storm analogy is interesting. It brings up several questions: 

1) Do they spiral clockwise or counter-clockwise? Storms are consistent in 
direction. 

2) Does the direction of spiral depend upon which side of the equator you're 
on? Water spiraling down a drain reverses direction as you cross the equator. 

Answering these questions might require a view from above the coil, (not a 
good place to sit) and international cooperation. I doubt many serious 
coilers would have the coins left to take their VTTC on a world cruise unless 
they could get a research grant from some foundation. (Hey, an NSF-sponsored 
vacation that might be worth a try!) 

Matt D.