Ball Lightning [electronic resource] : A Popular Guide to a Longstanding Mystery in Atmospheric Electricity /
Boerner, Herbert.author.
Ball lightning is an enigma. These luminous objects that appear occasionally during thunderstorms and can reach several meters in diameter have been a mystery to science for about 200 years. Despite several thousands of reported observations, their nature is still unknown. In this book, well documented cases of ball lightning are described and used to unravel some aspects of this mysterious form of atmospheric electricity. Throughout the book, the author discusses the various facets of the problem in an accessible but rigorous style, delivering a readable and informative text that will captivate the curious reader. He finally reaches the surprising conclusion that the solution to this puzzle may have been hidden in plain sight for many years. A foreword by Earle Williams, leading lightning researcher at MIT, introduces the book.
Introduction -- Ball Lightning: Observers’ Tales -- The Search for Photographic Evidence -- A Bit of Philosophy, or What Has a Razor to Do with Ball Lightning? -- Organizing and Analyzing the Observations -- Electrical Discharges, Coronas, and Streamers -- Thunderstorms and Lightning -- BL: Well Documented Cases of Copious Production -- The Link Between Lightning Physics and Ball Lightning -- Some People Just Won’t Believe It: The Skeptic’s View -- Ball Lightning Theories -- BL Experiments -- Wrapping It All Up -- Appendix -- References.
Ball lightning is an enigma. These luminous objects that appear occasionally during thunderstorms and can reach several meters in diameter have been a mystery to science for about 200 years. Despite several thousands of reported observations, their nature is still unknown. In this book, well documented cases of ball lightning are described and used to unravel some aspects of this mysterious form of atmospheric electricity. Throughout the book, the author discusses the various facets of the problem in an accessible but rigorous style, delivering a readable and informative text that will captivate the curious reader. He finally reaches the surprising conclusion that the solution to this puzzle may have been hidden in plain sight for many years. A foreword by Earle Williams, leading lightning researcher at MIT, introduces the book.
Physics.
Atmospheric sciences.
Plasma (Ionized gases).
Geophysics.
Popular Science in Physics.
Atmospheric Sciences.
Plasma Physics.
Geophysics and Environmental Physics.