Ominous lightning flashes above erupting volcanoes which light up the sky are called Volcanic Lightning. Colliding ice crystals, near the stratosphere, high above the Earth’s surface generate enough of an electric charge to trigger normal lightning. But Volcanic Lightning is static electricity from particles rubbing together in dense ash clouds near the ground. Scientists recorded the video of Volcanic Lightning at Sakurajima, one of the world’s most active volcanoes. By comparing the video to infrasound and electromagnetic data, researchers discovered that thick clouds of ash give rise to static electricity. The particles rub together and the resulting charge build-up generates lightning strikes.
Volcanic Lightning
