RE: [TCML] Ultra-high speed movie of lightning arc channel formation

[Jeff Behary <electrotherapy@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Bert,
 
This is not so high-speed, but I did a few tests before as Lichtenberg Figures directly on photographic film or paper.  For the coils, I used small glass fuses, the fastest-blowing at the smallest amperage I could find (at the local hardware store).  The concept was pretty simple, simply turn on the coil and the fuse was instantly blown in a fraction of a second.  (what fraction, unfortunately, I don't know).  What is interesting, is the amount of sparks generated (and the branches, effluves, brush) in such a short amount of time.  Granted, a 1/100th or 1/20th of a second may be considered a long time for this sort of exposure, compared to high speed cameras, but maybe not everything can be captured quite as easy with a camera as by direct contact.  If only there was high-speed exposures possible directly on film.  (Sounds like a new invention!) 
 
http://www.electrotherapymuseum.com/2005/2005-06-23/images/CencoDC0001ic.jpg
http://www.electrotherapymuseum.com/2006/KinDis1/images/ED0009a.jpg
http://www.electrotherapymuseum.com/2005/2005-06-23/images/CencoDC0000ic.jpg
http://www.electrotherapymuseum.com/2005/2005-06-23/images/CencoDC0002ic.jpg
http://www.electrotherapymuseum.com/2005/Film22May/images/FischerCenco0001.jpg
http://www.electrotherapymuseum.com/2005/Film22May/images/FischerCenco0008.jpg
http://www.electrotherapymuseum.com/2005/2005-06-14/images/Glossy20002i.jpg
http://www.electrotherapymuseum.com/2005/2005-06-14/images/Glossy20001i.jpg
http://www.electrotherapymuseum.com/2006/KinDis1/images/ED0005b.jpg
http://www.electrotherapymuseum.com/2006/KinDis1/images/ED0007a.jpg
 
I can try to recreate some of these at a later date with a more precise way of measuring time, maybe an X-Ray timer or something similar.  I'm sure there is something this half of the century that is more accurate than whats in my junk pile.
 
It would be interesting if a roll of photographic paper/film, large format, was rapidly moving, like being transfered from a full roll to an empty roll spinning in a lathe, with the coil discharging in one spot (say, centered on the roll's width).  If the mechanical constraints worked out so that the paper/film travelled smoothly, even at high speed, it would be an interesting experiment to see Lichtenberg figures at so many feet per second, how many, and how they change.  Damn hard to develop and fix such a long photo, but still, it would be fun.
 
I've seen the slow branching effect before with Tesla Coils.  A coil that can give a spark, say 3 - 4 foot long, operated at a fraction of the power normally used (less than 100 watts, for example) with the spark gap open just enough for it to fire once or twice a second (but not cease to fire).  The sparks become very branching, static-like, and strangely seem to  low down just enough for you to make out the invididual branches.  Unfortunately you need your nose pretty close to the sparks to really study this, and I've had a few too close for comfort.  Despite the low current, these sparks are beautiful but not very friendly to get tangled with.
 
Jeff
> Date: Sun, 10 Aug 2008 13:00:51 -0700> From: micro_wave@xxxxxxxxxxx> To: tesla@xxxxxxxxxx> CC: > Subject: [TCML] Ultra-high speed movie of lightning arc channel formation> > This is pretty amazing ultra-high speed video shot of some lightning > strikes:> > http://gizmodo.com/5034458/slow-motion-lightning-video-is-mindblowing-will-sell-a-thousand-slo+mo-cameras> > I have to wonder if such a shot of a big Tesla coil arc into free air > would exactly duplicate the arc channel formation, or how might it differ?> > Does anyone on this list have "loan" access to one of these type cameras?> > Bert Pool> > _______________________________________________> Tesla mailing list> Tesla@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> http://www.pupman.com/mailman/listinfo/tesla
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