Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

Ball lightning as electromagnetic energy

Abstract

NONE of the theories1–8 proposed to explain ball lightning seems able to account satisfactorily for the experimental evidence9–14. Jennison15 has suggested that ball lightning is a spherical stable standing wave of electromagnetic radiation. The proposal that ball lightning in effect consists of electromagnetic field energy trapped in an evacuated cavity of approximately spherical shape, with an ionised sheath separating it from the atmosphere, merits further examination.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Altschuler, M. D., House, L. L., and Hildner, E., Nature, 228, 545–6 (1970).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Stakhanov, I. P., Sov. Phys. tech. Phys., 19, 861–4 (1975).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  3. Neugebauer, T., Fiz. Szle., 25, 49–56 (1975).

    Google Scholar 

  4. Meek, J. M., and Craggs, J. D., Electrical Breakdown of Gases, ch. 5 (Oxford University Press, 1953).

    MATH  Google Scholar 

  5. Kapitsa, P. L., Dokl. Akad. Nauk SSSR, 101, 245–8 (1955).

    Google Scholar 

  6. Kozlov, B. N., Sov. Phys. Dokl., 20, 261–2 (1975).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  7. Ashby, D. E. T. F., and Whitehead, C., Nature, 230, 180–2 (1971).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  8. Wooding, E. R., Nature, 239, 394–5 (1972).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Anderson, F. J., and Freier, G. D., J. geophvs. Res., 77, 3928–30 (1972).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  10. Jennison, R. C., Nature, 224, 895 (1969).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  11. Stenhoff, M., Nature, 260, 596–7 (1976).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  12. Crawford, J. F., Nature, 239, 395 (1972).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Fleming, S. J., and Aitken, M. J., Nature, 252, 220–1 (1974).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Blair, A. J. F., Nature, 243, 512–3 (1973).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Jennison, R. C., Nature, 245, 95 (1973).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  16. Rodney, P. F., and Tompkins, D. R., Bull. Am. phys. Soc., 20, 659 (1975).

    Google Scholar 

  17. Endean, V. G., and Allen, J. E., Nature, 228, 348–50 (1970).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

ENDEAN, V. Ball lightning as electromagnetic energy. Nature 263, 753–755 (1976). https://doi.org/10.1038/263753a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/263753a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing