Re: [TCML] Ball Lightning

[mddeming@xxxxxxx]

Hi All,

Finally, a RATIONAL explanation of some of the more bizarre behaviors of natural BL: i.e. growing and shrinking, seeming to pass through walls, sudden right-angle jumps, etc, etc. Also explains why only the laboratory approximations have been photographed. 

Matt D.





-----Original Message-----
From: S&JY <youngs@xxxxxxxxx>
To: Tesla List <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Fri, May 21, 2010 12:00 am
Subject: [TCML] Ball Lightning


All,
This was just published-I thought some of you would be interested.
ersonally, I believe ball lightning is a real, physical phenomena, not
omething induced into people's brains.
Steve Y.
 
ScienceDaily (May 19, 2010) - Ball lightning is a rare circular light
henomenon occurring during thunderstorms. Scientists have been puzzled by
he nature of these apparent fire balls for a long time. Now physicists at
he University of Innsbruck have calculated that the magnetic field of long
ightning strokes may produce the image of luminous shapes, also known as
hosphenes, in the brain. This finding may offer an explanation for many
all lightning observations.
Physicists Josef Peer and Alexander Kendl from the University of Innsbruck
ave studied electromagnetic fields of different types of lightning strokes
ccurring during thunderstorms. Their calculations suggest that the magnetic
ields of a specific class of long lasting repetitive lightning discharges
how the same properties as transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), a
echnique commonly used in clinical and psychiatric practice to stimulate
eural activity in the human brain. Time varying and sufficiently strong
agnetic fields induce electrical fields in the brain, specifically, in
eurons of the visual cortex, which may invoke phosphenes. "In the clinical
pplication of TMS, luminous and apparently real visual perceptions in
arying shapes and colors within the visual field of the patients and test
ersons are reported and well examined," says Alexander Kendl. The Innsbruck
hysicists have now calculated that a near lightning stroke of long lasting
hunderbolts may also generate these luminous visions, which are likely to
ppear as ball lightning.
Their findings are published in the journal Physics Letters A.
Is the mystery of ball lightning solved now?
Ball lightnings are rather rare events. The majority of researchers agree
hat different phenomena are likely to be summarized under the collective
erm "ball lightning." Over time, various theories and propositions about
he nature of these experiences have been suggested. Other researchers have
roduced luminous fire balls in the laboratory, which appeared not
ompletely unlike ball lightning and could explain some of the observations
ut were mostly too short lived. Other plausible explanations for some of
bservations are St. Elmo's fire, luminous dust balls or small molten balls
f metal. In which cases then, can a lightning bolt invoke a ball-shaped
hosphene? "
Lightning strokes with repetitive discharges producing stimulating magnetic
ields over a period of a few seconds are rather rare and only occur in
bout one in one hundred events," reports physicist Kendl. "An observer
ocated within few hundred metres of a long lightning stroke may experience
 magnetic phosphene in the shape of a luminous spot." Also other
ensations, such as noises or smells, may be induced. Since the term "ball
ightning" is well known from media reports, observers are likely to
lassify lightning phosphenes as such. Alexander Kendl's hypothesis that in
act the majority of ball lightning observations are phosphenes is strongly
upported by its simplicity: "Contrary to other theories describing floating
ire balls, no new and other suppositions are necessary."
 
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