A new theory for Ball lightning atmospheric electrical phenomenon, the physical nature of which is still controversial, has been proposed by Australian scientists.
The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) and Australia National University scientists presented a new mathematical theory to explain the mysterious phenomenon, in a paper published in the Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres entitled ‘The Birth of Ball Lightning’.
The new theory explains how ball lightning, usually the size of a grapefruit and lasting up to twenty seconds, occurs in houses, airplanes and how it can pass through glass.
The leader of the team, CSIRO scientist John Lowke, said: “A crucial proof of any theory of ball lightning would be if the theory could be used to make ball lightning. This is the first paper which gives a mathematical solution explaining the birth or initiation of ball lightning.” Lowke’s paper gives a mathematical solution explaining the birth or initiation of ball lightning, via the standard equations for the motion of electrons and ions.