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Invisible bursts of electricity from volcanoes signal explosive eruptions
sciencenews.org ^ | July 1, 2021 | By Alka Tripathy-Lang

Posted on 07/02/2021 4:32:47 PM PDT by BenLurkin

As one of Japan’s most active volcanoes, Sakurajima often dazzles with spectacular displays of volcanic lightning set against an ash-filled sky. But the volcano can also produce much smaller, invisible bursts of electrical activity that mystify and intrigue scientists.

Now, an analysis of 97 explosions at Sakurajima from June 2015 is helping to show when eruptions produce visible lightning strokes versus when they produce the mysterious, unseen surges of electrical activity, researchers report in the June 16 Geophysical Research Letters.

These invisible bursts, called vent discharges, happen early in eruptions, which could allow scientists to figure out ways to use them to warn of impending explosion.

Researchers know that volcanic lightning can form by silicate charging, which happens both when rocks break apart during an eruption and when rocks and other material flung from the volcano jostle each other in the turbulent plume (SN: 3/3/15). Tiny ash particles rub together, gaining and losing electrons, which creates positive and negative charges that tend to clump together in pockets of like charge. To neutralize this unstable electrical field, lightning zigzags between the charged clusters...

Vent discharges, on the other hand, are relatively newly detected bursts of electrical activity, which produce a continuous, high-frequency signal for seconds — an eternity compared with lightning. These discharges can be measured using specialized equipment.

(Excerpt) Read more at sciencenews.org ...


TOPICS: Science
KEYWORDS: electricity; eruptions; etphoninghome; invisiblelightning; lightning; signal; ufohomebase; volcanoes

1 posted on 07/02/2021 4:32:47 PM PDT by BenLurkin
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To: All

Followed by a trumpet signalling “Charge”!


2 posted on 07/02/2021 4:37:42 PM PDT by BipolarBob (I'm having Uncle Toms Rice. It's like Uncle Bens but just a bit more racis'.)
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To: BenLurkin

Piezo then?


3 posted on 07/02/2021 4:37:49 PM PDT by Openurmind (The ultimate test of a moral society is the kind of world it leaves to its children. ~ D. Bonhoeffer)
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To: BenLurkin

Time to round up a few virgins.


4 posted on 07/02/2021 4:40:17 PM PDT by Veggie Todd (Religion. It's like a History class. Without the facts. )
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To: Openurmind

5 posted on 07/02/2021 4:40:24 PM PDT by BenLurkin (The above is not a statement of fact. It is either opinion, or satire. Or both.)
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To: BenLurkin

lol... Ok.


6 posted on 07/02/2021 4:42:08 PM PDT by Openurmind (The ultimate test of a moral society is the kind of world it leaves to its children. ~ D. Bonhoeffer)
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To: All

I was sacked from my job as an electrician at the prison service for refusing to repair an electric chair. I told them it was a death trap.


7 posted on 07/02/2021 4:43:43 PM PDT by BipolarBob (I'm having Uncle Toms Rice. It's like Uncle Bens but just a bit more racis'.)
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To: BenLurkin

Volcano can also produce smaller, invisible bursts of electrical activity that mystify and intrigue scientists. These invisible bursts, called vent discharges, happen early in eruptions, which could allow scientists to figure out ways to use them to warn of impending explosions.

And companies in the Ukraine: Burisma, and China: BHR Partners, are currently brokering a joint deal to build the biggest cork you ever saw.

wy69


8 posted on 07/02/2021 5:00:21 PM PDT by whitney69 (uin )
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To: BipolarBob

http://www.lerctr.org/~transit/healy/monkeys.wav


9 posted on 07/02/2021 5:02:40 PM PDT by BenLurkin (The above is not a statement of fact. It is either opinion, or satire. Or both.)
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To: BipolarBob

lol


10 posted on 07/02/2021 5:14:37 PM PDT by DannyTN
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To: BipolarBob
You should have properly grounded the the chair.

"If it is not grounded, it is not safe."

11 posted on 07/02/2021 5:33:12 PM PDT by Deaf Smith (When a Texan takes his chances, chances will be taken that's for sure.)
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