Scientists have long interpreted shocked quartz as definitive evidence of a past meteorite impact, but the shock wave caused by lightning striking granite also produces this distinctive feature.
lightning
Posted inResearch Spotlights
When Ice and Lightning Align
A new technique can remotely sense strong electrical fields within storm clouds.
Posted inNews
Panama Study: Tallest Tropical Trees Died Mostly from Lightning
On Barro Colorado Island in the Panama Canal, scientists map lightning strikes and find that they kill mainly the loftiest trees, likely disturbing the forest ecology.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
How Storm Turbulence Can Spark Lightning
The turbulent pockets of air inside storms can help to build up static electricity in the atmosphere, according to a new study.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Antenna Towers Attract Additional Lightning Strikes
Atmospheric scientists evaluate the influence of human-made structures on lightning data.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
How Lightning Creates "Killer Electrons" in Earth's Radiation Belts
New calculations show that lightning-triggered plasma waves in Earth's magnetosphere absorb energy from slow particles and energize electrons to levels that can damage satellites severely.
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GOES-16 Satellite Lights Up Lightning Flashes in New Video
The satellite's lightning mapper instrument will help scientists forecast extreme weather.
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New Way to Gauge Lightning's Role in Ozone Formation
Comparing satellite data on a key airborne ozone precursor to readings from a lightning sensor network reveals how much different types of lightning strokes affect atmospheric ozone chemistry.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Searching for Lightning's Signature on Venus
How energetic would lightning on Venus have to be to be detected by sensors? A new model sheds light.
Posted inNews
Storms Cause Infrequent Turbulence for Aircraft, New Study Finds
Scientists using lightning sensors to automate air-turbulence detection have found evidence that storms jostle aircraft much less than previously thought.