Volcanic lightning

Volcanic lightning
Volcanic lightning
	Volcanic lightning during the January 2020 eruption of Taal Volcano
Effect	Lightning

Volcanic lightning is an electrical discharge caused by a volcanic eruption rather than from an ordinary thunderstorm. Volcanic lightning arises from colliding, fragmenting particles of volcanic ash (and sometimes ice),^[1]^[2] which generate static electricity within the volcanic plume,^[3] leading to the name dirty thunderstorm.^[4]^[5] Moist convection currents and ice formation also drive the eruption plume dynamics^[6]^[7] and can trigger volcanic lightning.^[8]^[9] Unlike ordinary thunderstorms, volcanic lightning can also occur when there are no ice crystals in the ash cloud.^[10]^[11]

The earliest recorded observations of volcanic lightning^[12] are from Pliny the Younger, describing the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD, "There was a most intense darkness rendered more appalling by the fitful gleam of torches at intervals obscured by the transient blaze of lightning."^[13] The first studies of volcanic lightning were also conducted at Mount Vesuvius by Luigi Palmieri^[14] who observed the eruptions of 1858, 1861, 1868, and 1872 from the Vesuvius Observatory. These eruptions often included lightning activity.^[13]

Instances have been reported above Alaska's Mount Augustine volcano,^[15] Iceland's Eyjafjallajökull and Grimsvotn,^[16] Mount Etna in Sicily, Italy,^[17] Taal Volcano in the Philippines,^[18]^[19] and Mount Ruang in Indonesia.^[20]

^ Fritz, Angela (2016). "Scientists think they've solved the mystery of how volcanic lightning forms". The Washington Post.
^ Mulvaney, Kieran (2016). "Mystery of Volcano Lightning Explained". Seeker.
^ Lipuma, Lauren (2016). "New studies uncover mysterious processes that generate volcanic lightning". American Geophysical Union GeoSpace Blog.
^ Hoblitt, Richard P. (2000). "Was the 18 May 1980 lateral blast at Mt St Helens the product of two explosions?". Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences. 358 (1770): 1639–1661. Bibcode:2000RSPTA.358.1639H. doi:10.1098/rsta.2000.0608. S2CID 92549298.
^ Bennett, A J; Odams, P; Edwards, D; Arason, Þ (2010-10-01). "Monitoring of lightning from the April–May 2010 Eyjafjallajökull volcanic eruption using a very low frequency lightning location network". Environmental Research Letters. 5 (4): 044013. Bibcode:2010ERL.....5d4013B. doi:10.1088/1748-9326/5/4/044013. ISSN 1748-9326.
^ Woods, Andrew W. (1993). "Moist convection and the injection of volcanic ash into the atmosphere". Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth. 98 (B10): 17627–17636. Bibcode:1993JGR....9817627W. doi:10.1029/93JB00718.
^ Van Eaton, Alexa R.; Mastin, Larry G.; Herzog, Michael; Schwaiger, Hans F.; Schneider, David J.; Wallace, Kristi L.; Clarke, Amanda B. (2015-08-03). "Hail formation triggers rapid ash aggregation in volcanic plumes". Nature Communications. 6 (1): 7860. Bibcode:2015NatCo...6.7860V. doi:10.1038/ncomms8860. ISSN 2041-1723. PMC 4532834. PMID 26235052.
^ Williams, Earl R.; McNutt, Stephen R. (2005). "Total water contents in volcanic eruption clouds and implications for electrification and lightning" (PDF). Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Volcanic Ash and Aviation Safety: 67–71.
^ Van Eaton, Alexa R.; Amigo, Álvaro; Bertin, Daniel; Mastin, Larry G.; Giacosa, Raúl E.; González, Jerónimo; Valderrama, Oscar; Fontijn, Karen; Behnke, Sonja A. (2016-04-12). "Volcanic lightning and plume behavior reveal evolving hazards during the April 2015 eruption of Calbuco volcano, Chile". Geophysical Research Letters. 43 (7): 3563–3571. Bibcode:2016GeoRL..43.3563V. doi:10.1002/2016gl068076. ISSN 0094-8276.
^ Cimarelli, C.; Alatorre-Ibargüengoitia, M.A.; Kueppers, U.; Scheu, B.; Dingwell, D.B. (2014). "Experimental generation of volcanic lightning". Geology. 42 (1): 79–82. Bibcode:2014Geo....42...79C. doi:10.1130/g34802.1. ISSN 1943-2682.
^ Cimarelli, C.; Alatorre-Ibargüengoitia, M. A.; Aizawa, K.; Yokoo, A.; Díaz-Marina, A.; Iguchi, M.; Dingwell, D. B. (2016-05-06). "Multiparametric observation of volcanic lightning: Sakurajima Volcano, Japan". Geophysical Research Letters. 43 (9): 4221–4228. Bibcode:2016GeoRL..43.4221C. doi:10.1002/2015gl067445. ISSN 0094-8276.
^ Mather, T. A.; Harrison, R. G. (July 2006). "Electrification of volcanic plumes". Surveys in Geophysics. 27 (4): 387–432. Bibcode:2006SGeo...27..387M. doi:10.1007/s10712-006-9007-2. ISSN 0169-3298. S2CID 53140261.
^ ^a ^b "History of Volcanic Lightning | Volcano World | Oregon State University". volcano.oregonstate.edu. 27 May 2010. Retrieved 2018-05-09.
^ Perrone, Alessio. "A Defiant Volcanologist Survived 5 Eruptions while Living on Mount Vesuvius". Scientific American. Springer Nature. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
^ Handwerk, Brian (February 22, 2007). "Volcanic Lightning Sparked by "Dirty Thunderstorms"". National Geographic. Archived from the original on February 25, 2007. Retrieved 2009-01-09.
^ "Iceland Volcano Pictures: Lightning Adds Flash to Ash". National Geographic. April 19, 2010. Archived from the original on April 21, 2010. Retrieved 2010-04-20.
^ Sample, Ian (3 December 2015). "Sky lights up over Sicily as Mount Etna's Voragine crater erupts". The Guardian. Retrieved 2015-12-03.
^ DI SANTOLO, ALESSANDRA SCOTTO. "Philippines volcano eruption: Terrifying video of Taal volcano producing lightning strikes". Retrieved 12 January 2020.
^ Borbon, Christian. "Philippines: Volcano near Manila spews giant ash column". Gulf News. Retrieved 12 January 2020.
^ "Gunung Ruang Kembali Erupsi, Warga Diimbau Mengungsi". CNN Indonesia. Retrieved 17 April 2024.

[1] Fritz, Angela (2016). "Scientists think they've solved the mystery of how volcanic lightning forms". The Washington Post.

[2] Mulvaney, Kieran (2016). "Mystery of Volcano Lightning Explained". Seeker.

[3] Lipuma, Lauren (2016). "New studies uncover mysterious processes that generate volcanic lightning". American Geophysical Union GeoSpace Blog.

[4] Hoblitt, Richard P. (2000). "Was the 18 May 1980 lateral blast at Mt St Helens the product of two explosions?". Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences. 358 (1770): 1639–1661. Bibcode:2000RSPTA.358.1639H. doi:10.1098/rsta.2000.0608. S2CID 92549298.

[:6-5] Bennett, A J; Odams, P; Edwards, D; Arason, Þ (2010-10-01). "Monitoring of lightning from the April–May 2010 Eyjafjallajökull volcanic eruption using a very low frequency lightning location network". Environmental Research Letters. 5 (4): 044013. Bibcode:2010ERL.....5d4013B. doi:10.1088/1748-9326/5/4/044013. ISSN 1748-9326.

[:7-6] Woods, Andrew W. (1993). "Moist convection and the injection of volcanic ash into the atmosphere". Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth. 98 (B10): 17627–17636. Bibcode:1993JGR....9817627W. doi:10.1029/93JB00718.

[:8-7] Van Eaton, Alexa R.; Mastin, Larry G.; Herzog, Michael; Schwaiger, Hans F.; Schneider, David J.; Wallace, Kristi L.; Clarke, Amanda B. (2015-08-03). "Hail formation triggers rapid ash aggregation in volcanic plumes". Nature Communications. 6 (1): 7860. Bibcode:2015NatCo...6.7860V. doi:10.1038/ncomms8860. ISSN 2041-1723. PMC 4532834. PMID 26235052.

[8] Williams, Earl R.; McNutt, Stephen R. (2005). "Total water contents in volcanic eruption clouds and implications for electrification and lightning" (PDF). Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Volcanic Ash and Aviation Safety: 67–71.

[:9-9] Van Eaton, Alexa R.; Amigo, Álvaro; Bertin, Daniel; Mastin, Larry G.; Giacosa, Raúl E.; González, Jerónimo; Valderrama, Oscar; Fontijn, Karen; Behnke, Sonja A. (2016-04-12). "Volcanic lightning and plume behavior reveal evolving hazards during the April 2015 eruption of Calbuco volcano, Chile". Geophysical Research Letters. 43 (7): 3563–3571. Bibcode:2016GeoRL..43.3563V. doi:10.1002/2016gl068076. ISSN 0094-8276.

[10] Cimarelli, C.; Alatorre-Ibargüengoitia, M.A.; Kueppers, U.; Scheu, B.; Dingwell, D.B. (2014). "Experimental generation of volcanic lightning". Geology. 42 (1): 79–82. Bibcode:2014Geo....42...79C. doi:10.1130/g34802.1. ISSN 1943-2682.

[11] Cimarelli, C.; Alatorre-Ibargüengoitia, M. A.; Aizawa, K.; Yokoo, A.; Díaz-Marina, A.; Iguchi, M.; Dingwell, D. B. (2016-05-06). "Multiparametric observation of volcanic lightning: Sakurajima Volcano, Japan". Geophysical Research Letters. 43 (9): 4221–4228. Bibcode:2016GeoRL..43.4221C. doi:10.1002/2015gl067445. ISSN 0094-8276.

[:4-12] Mather, T. A.; Harrison, R. G. (July 2006). "Electrification of volcanic plumes". Surveys in Geophysics. 27 (4): 387–432. Bibcode:2006SGeo...27..387M. doi:10.1007/s10712-006-9007-2. ISSN 0169-3298. S2CID 53140261.

[volcano.oregonstate.edu-13] "History of Volcanic Lightning | Volcano World | Oregon State University". volcano.oregonstate.edu. 27 May 2010. Retrieved 2018-05-09.

[14] Perrone, Alessio. "A Defiant Volcanologist Survived 5 Eruptions while Living on Mount Vesuvius". Scientific American. Springer Nature. Retrieved 19 April 2024.

[Handwerk-15] Handwerk, Brian (February 22, 2007). "Volcanic Lightning Sparked by "Dirty Thunderstorms"". National Geographic. Archived from the original on February 25, 2007. Retrieved 2009-01-09.

[16] "Iceland Volcano Pictures: Lightning Adds Flash to Ash". National Geographic. April 19, 2010. Archived from the original on April 21, 2010. Retrieved 2010-04-20.

[17] Sample, Ian (3 December 2015). "Sky lights up over Sicily as Mount Etna's Voragine crater erupts". The Guardian. Retrieved 2015-12-03.

[18] DI SANTOLO, ALESSANDRA SCOTTO. "Philippines volcano eruption: Terrifying video of Taal volcano producing lightning strikes". Retrieved 12 January 2020.

[19] Borbon, Christian. "Philippines: Volcano near Manila spews giant ash column". Gulf News. Retrieved 12 January 2020.

[20] "Gunung Ruang Kembali Erupsi, Warga Diimbau Mengungsi". CNN Indonesia. Retrieved 17 April 2024.

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