

Russian researchers find more evidence that lightning is caused by cosmic rays - cwan
http://phys.org/news/2013-05-russian-evidence-notion-lightning-cosmic.html#ajTabs

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Zarathust
I read this a few days ago on Reddit. The first thing I thought about was the
Catatumbo lightning storm. There is constant lightning every single day or so
in Venezuela. Then I reread the wiki page and there is a mention of a high
uranium concentration in the area so it might be a source of gamma rays, but I
really doubt it is sufficient to generate that much lightning, or such a
phenomenon would be much more common.

<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catatumbo_lightning>

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mpyne
Well if this article is talking about what I think it's talking about, we deal
with something in radiation detection called "gas amplification" which occurs
in the presence of a large electric potential.

If they're saying that an incoming cosmic ray causes a ionization effect in
what's literally a "cloud chamber", which gas amplifies into what we see as
lightning it would actually make perfect sense to me.

Given that the Catatumbo effects occur more than 5km in the air (where cosmic
ray flux would be higher) the only other thing you'd need would be to ensure
that the electric potential is continually re-established as the lightning
dissipates it. Maybe that can be explained by the weather and geography in the
area?

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Zarathust
Since the earth rotates quite fast, I wonder what could be the source of such
a constant and localized gamma ray radiation? The source would have to "track"
the region for up to 10 hours, or given the circumference of the earth, around
17 000kms. Or maybe the constant radiation from space is enough and the region
particularities make it happen.

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fnordfnordfnord
There is no way that a gamma ray source tracks us, more likely there is a
lighter-than-air gas such as ethane, methane, etc. (which are used in spark
chambers) escaping that lake, or somthging else to that effect, making
conditions suitable for ionization.

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fnordfnordfnord
The atmosphere as a kind of spark chamber?
[http://www.hep.phy.cam.ac.uk/~lester/teaching/SparkChamber/S...](http://www.hep.phy.cam.ac.uk/~lester/teaching/SparkChamber/SparkChamber.html)

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vxNsr
This could be really cool, if we can figure out how to cheaply create this
type of reaction and harness the energy released.

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adlpz
The energy comes from the Sun's heat through the massive water vapor movement
in the atmosphere creating the highly charged clouds. The cosmic rays just
trigger the release of this potentials. So, at the end of the day, just doing
solar power is more efficient.

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youngerdryas
More like may seed some lightning.

