2018/10/29 by Chris Allen Broka, Broka, Chris Allen
Engineering · Materials Science · Physics and Astronomy · #Aerosol Filtration and Electrostatic Precipitation #FOS: Physical sciences #High voltage insulation and dielectric phenomena #Lightning and Electromagnetic Phenomena #Plasma Physics (physics.plasm-ph)
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.1811.12309
openalex publication_date 2018/10/29 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
An exceptionally simple model of ball lightning is proposed that describes it as a highly charged sphere of hot, conductive, air surrounded by colder air. This conductive sphere possesses a net excess of charge. This charge will create a corona discharge that will heat the surrounding air thus maintaining the temperature of the ball itself. Numerical simulations are presented which give results that would appear to agree with what many witnesses have reported. It is argued that such spheres are likely positively charged.