Many skeptics agree that there is some substance to ball lightning sightings,
but they would rather believe that it is a case of mistaken identity. They
believe eyewitnesses saw something, but that what they saw was anything but ball
lightning. Considering the number of people that now believe that ball
lightning is actually a sign of extra-terrestrial life, this is entirely
understandable. If after reading this page, you desire more information on
theories, go to Adrian Ashford's "Spectres in the
Storm" website. He also has some good eyewitness accounts.
Mistaken Identity?
One theory that
can quickly be rejected is that ball lightning is in actuality a slow-burning
puff of flammable gas that has become ignited. An example
of this can be seen to the left. The hole in this theory is that a puff
of gas would most likely float upwards; accounts of the behavior of ball
lightning show that it is just as likely to travel from side to side, or down,
as it is to ascend.
Another theory states that "ball lightning" is an
after-image left on the corona of the eye by a bright flash, such as an ordinary
lightning strike. For example, when a camera flashes as a picture is
taken, the bright light remains as a spot on one's eye. As that person
then moves his head around, the spot moves along his line of sight.
Therefore, a possible explanation for ball lightning would be that a bolt of
lightning striking directly towards a person would cause this optical
illusion. The movement of that person's head would create a complex
path for the "ball lightning" to follow. An example of
this can be seen to the right. (The animation
begins with the text Joe is standing outside during a
thunderstorm). The problem with this theory is two-fold. First
of all, if the ball's descent is viewed from an angle at the side, the observer
would not be subject to any optical illusion. Secondly, it has already
been ascertained that ball lightning has been observed in the absence of
thunderstorm activity, in broad daylight.
Unexplained Phenomenon?
The remaining theories acknowledge that ball lightning is a heretofore unexplained phenomenon. Many of the concepts within these theories delve deeply into the sphere of theoretical physics; they tend to be extremely complex and not just a little confusing.
A recent theory that is becoming popular states
that ball lightning is a plasmoid. According to this concept, ball
lightning and tornadoes are two forms of the same phenomenon. According to
a catalogue of tornadoes in France, at least one half of those observed either
were "furrowed by lightning" or "vomited" balls of fire from the
bottom. If ball lightning and tornadoes are indeed one and the same,
it could explain why tornadoes are so commonly visible at night, when there is
no apparent illumination. The following is an eyewitness account of a
tornado that passed through Blackwell, Oklahoma in May of 1955, at 9:27
p.m. The observer was a U.S. Weather Service official by the name of F.
Montgomery. From approximately 3600 feet away, he could see a deep blue
section near the top of the cloud layer.
There were rapidly rotating clouds passing in front of the top of
the funnel. These clouds were illuminated only by the luminous band of
light. The light would grow dim when these clouds were in front, and
then it would grow bright again as I could see between the clouds. As
near as I can explain, I would say that the light was the same color as an
electric arc welder but very much brighter. The light was so intense
that I had to look away when there were no clouds in front. The light
and the clouds seemed to be turning to the right like a beacon in a
lighthouse.
Another person, Lee Hunter, who
witnessed this same tornado claimed:
It had an orange color fire in the center from the cloud to the
ground. . . .As it swung along the ground level, the orange fire or
electricity would gush out from the bottom of the funnel, and the updraft
would take it up in the air causing a terrific light -- and it was gone!
As it swung to the other side, the orange fire would flare up and do the same.
This could be construed as fairly strong evidence
that ball lightning and tornadoes have much in common. It is conceivable
that the deep blue light emitted from the top of the tornado could have been a
large ball lightning within the funnel. The "orange color fire" that was
described as gushing from the mouth of the tornado could be the same as the
"vomited" balls of fire from the catalogue of French tornadoes. Then
again, just because tornadoes and ball lightning have been known to occur
simultaneously, they are not necessarily one and the same.
Unfortunately, this theory raises more questions than it answers. How is sufficient energy kept together in such a compact space without being steadily released? For the most part, tornadoes are no more understood than ball lightning; there are just more documented cases of tornadoes. Most theories involving tornadoes or other plasmoid phenomena are extremely complex and not easily understood by laymen. All the information I have on this theory I found at Edward Lewis's website, Tornadoes and Ball Lightning.
The Maser-Soliton theory claims that ball lightning is caused by something called an atmospheric "maser." A maser has many of the characteristics of a laser, but operates at a much lower energy level. Once again, much of this theory is incomprehensible to the layman, but the general concept can be summarized. A maser is created by an effect known as a "population inversion" of certain molecules associated with ordinary lightning. This population inversion generates a great deal of energy in which a great number of molecules are moving. According to the maser effect, unless this takes place in a wide open area with a large volume of air, or in an enclosed conducting cavity, the molecules will collide with and destroy each other. Theoretically, if it does take place in a large volume of air, a volume of several cubic kilometers, the maser will generate a localized electrical field, or soliton. This electrical field would conceivably form a luminescent sphere. As mentioned, this would also happen within an enclosed conducting cavity, such as an airplane or a submarine.
This theory certainly explains many of the characteristics of ball lightning. For example, it may show why ball lightning never occurs at lightning research observatories. These observatories are usually situated where ordinary lightning is known to be attracted. Popular sites include sharp mountain peaks and the roofs of high-rise buildings. The volume of air is not great enough in these areas to support the maser effect. In addition, the density of the air is much thinner.
The maser theory also explains the sightings of ball lightning within airplanes and submarines. Even a house with a metal conducting frame could classify as an enclosed conducting cavity. According to the Maser-Soliton theory, an electrical field that occurred in this circumstance would be sufficiently weakened so as to be relatively harmless to human life. In theory, the energy of the maser within the cavity would be reduced to about 10 joules, in contrast with the approximate limit of 1010 joules that occurs in open air.
The following eyewitness account would seem to support the Maser-Soliton
theory. Professor Roger Jennison, from the Department of Electronics at
the University of Kent, wrote about his experience with ball lightning on a
jetliner flight in March of 1963. The plane had just been enveloped in a
bright and audible electrical discharge.
Some seconds later a glowing sphere some 20 cm in diameter emerged
from the pilot's cabin and passed down the aircraft's central aisle
approximately 50 cm from Jennison. The ball moved on a straight course
the whole length of the aisle 75 cm above the floor at a velocity relative to
the aircraft of about -1.5 m/s. It was blue-white in colour and its
optical output amounted to about 5 to 10 Watts. Interestingly, no heat
was felt when it passed close by . . .
Notice the observation that he felt no heat as it
passed very close by him. This definitely supports the concept that ball
lightning would be much less dangerous within the cavity.
There is, however, a possible problem with this theory. As inconceivable as it may seem, ball lightning has been known to originate underwater. How could there possibly be a large enough volume of air in a place where there is almost no air at all? There is a particular instance in history when a large ball lightning surfaced off the coast of Japan. It was reported to be greater than six meters in diameter and supposedly lasted two hours, according to Michel T. Talbot (bo964@freenet.carleton.ca).
In Japanese legend, the term hiro dama, or simply odama, referred to the soul of a great samurai who took the form of a ball of fire. In fact, on one of the Japanese units of currency, a ball lightning can be seen behind the head of Emperor Hirohito when the bill is held up to the light.
It is, of course, possible that the ball did not originate in the water. Electric volcanic dust vents sometimes erupt off the coasts of Japan; this could account for underwater ball lightning within the confines of the Maser-Soliton theory, although it is still questionable whether the volume of air needed can be found in an underwater volcanic vent. Much of the information I found on this theory came from the Scientific American website.
Many other theories abound concerning ball lightning. Some of these are more radical than others. One theory proposes that ball lightning is in fact fairly common, but that the electromagnetism involved is not always strong enough to render it visible to the naked eye. Another theory claims that anti-matter is the cause of ball lightning. Supposedly the anti-matter is drawn down through the upper atmosphere from outer space by the air currents in thunderstorms. As the anti-matter interacts with terrestrial matter, both are annihilated and the release of energy creates the ball of fire.
