Typically associated with cumulonimbus
storms is LIGHTNING.
Within the structure of a cumulonimbus cloud electrical energy is
created. This electrical potential grows to millions of volts and finally
in split second a conductive path is established and a lightning stroke is
born. Temperatures of the bolt may reach 50,000oF and travel
for miles. It is estimated that there may be as many as 100 lightning
strikes around the globe each second creating a continuous power of about
4,000,000,000 kilowatts of energy.
[NEW PICTURE - coming soon]
CLOUD TO CLOUD discharge is seen in this
image obtained in Phoenix, Arizona. Thunderstorms are a common occurrence
during Arizona's summer monsoon.
CLOUD TO GROUND discharge is captured in
this storm colored green due to outdoor lighting by fluorescent and mercury
vapor lamps. This monsoon storm produced abundant rain and high winds over
the Glendale, Arizona area.
TENDRILS of lightning show the many
different paths of the step leaders as they extend outward from the cloud
towards the ground. In less than 1/100 of a second the cascade of
electrons flash though the established link to the ground creating the lightning
flash.
FIRE caused by lightning. Although
this is not the bolt that caused the fire, this storm produced numerous
strikes. The fire was created by a previous bolt and coincidently as the
image was obtained another bolt (probably miles away) aligned with the fire.
STEP LEADERS extend hundreds of feet as they
make the conductive electrical path complete.
COLORED LIGHTNING is actually a result of
atmospheric pollutants. A lightning bolt is very hot and produces a blue
white light. When that light passes through dust or other pollutants in
the sky it may take on a different color as the pollutants act as filters.
In this photo the nearby lightning is blue white while the lightning in the
distance has taken on a yellowish color due to the shorter wavelengths of light
(blues and greens) being absorbed by dust lifted into the atmosphere by this
Arizona monsoon storm.
Illuminating the sky in a flash, the numerous tendrils associated with the step
leaders are captured on this image. The image to the right is a magnified
view of the base of the lightning bolts on the right side of the larger image.
MORE IMAGES AND INFORMATION TO COME...!
