On the occurrence of 'bead lightning' phenomena in long laboratory sparks

S. P.A. Vayanganie; V. Cooray; Mahbubur Rahman; Pasan Hettiarachchi; Oscar Diaz; M. Fernando

doi:10.1016/j.physleta.2015.12.039

On the occurrence of 'bead lightning' phenomena in long laboratory sparks

S. P.A. Vayanganie, V. Cooray, Mahbubur Rahman, Pasan Hettiarachchi, Oscar Diaz, M. Fernando

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

7 Scopus citations

Abstract

The formation of bead lightning, where the lightning channel appears to break up into luminous fragments, is still an object of speculation. Here we report similar observations in laboratory discharges. Analysis of time resolved photographs shows that the discharge channel exhibits a 'bead pattern' in the decaying stage of the discharge and the occurrence of loops in the channel sections where the bead pattern is observed. This result presents the first evidence that the rapid cooling of non-uniform channel sections could lead to the formation of beads. It is suggested that periodically occurring non-uniform channel sections could explain the bead pattern of lightning discharges.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	816-821
Number of pages	6
Journal	Physics Letters, Section A: General, Atomic and Solid State Physics
Volume	380
Issue number	7-8
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physleta.2015.12.039
State	Published - Feb 22 2016

Keywords

Bead lightning
Long laboratory sparks

ASJC Scopus subject areas

General Physics and Astronomy

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10.1016/j.physleta.2015.12.039

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title = "On the occurrence of 'bead lightning' phenomena in long laboratory sparks",

abstract = "The formation of bead lightning, where the lightning channel appears to break up into luminous fragments, is still an object of speculation. Here we report similar observations in laboratory discharges. Analysis of time resolved photographs shows that the discharge channel exhibits a 'bead pattern' in the decaying stage of the discharge and the occurrence of loops in the channel sections where the bead pattern is observed. This result presents the first evidence that the rapid cooling of non-uniform channel sections could lead to the formation of beads. It is suggested that periodically occurring non-uniform channel sections could explain the bead pattern of lightning discharges.",

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AU - Vayanganie, S. P.A.

AU - Cooray, V.

AU - Rahman, Mahbubur

AU - Hettiarachchi, Pasan

AU - Diaz, Oscar

AU - Fernando, M.

PY - 2016/2/22

Y1 - 2016/2/22

N2 - The formation of bead lightning, where the lightning channel appears to break up into luminous fragments, is still an object of speculation. Here we report similar observations in laboratory discharges. Analysis of time resolved photographs shows that the discharge channel exhibits a 'bead pattern' in the decaying stage of the discharge and the occurrence of loops in the channel sections where the bead pattern is observed. This result presents the first evidence that the rapid cooling of non-uniform channel sections could lead to the formation of beads. It is suggested that periodically occurring non-uniform channel sections could explain the bead pattern of lightning discharges.

AB - The formation of bead lightning, where the lightning channel appears to break up into luminous fragments, is still an object of speculation. Here we report similar observations in laboratory discharges. Analysis of time resolved photographs shows that the discharge channel exhibits a 'bead pattern' in the decaying stage of the discharge and the occurrence of loops in the channel sections where the bead pattern is observed. This result presents the first evidence that the rapid cooling of non-uniform channel sections could lead to the formation of beads. It is suggested that periodically occurring non-uniform channel sections could explain the bead pattern of lightning discharges.

KW - Bead lightning

KW - Long laboratory sparks

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JO - Physics Letters, Section A: General, Atomic and Solid State Physics

JF - Physics Letters, Section A: General, Atomic and Solid State Physics

IS - 7-8

ER -

On the occurrence of 'bead lightning' phenomena in long laboratory sparks

Abstract

Keywords

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