Lightning Storm Generated by Chilean Volcano (Images)
It could be the scene from a movie: huge plumes of ash and gas rising during a ferocious volcanic eruption, sparking off a dazzling lightning storm; lightning bolts thundering to life inside and out of the hot cloud. However, this is the reality down on the ground for the people living near the Chaiten Volcano, southern Chile, who have been evacuated since the volcano erupted on Friday. Activity continues to increase, producing these terrifying, yet mesmerizing scenes…
Lightning can happen as a result of a volcanic eruption. As the hot ash rises through the cooler atmosphere, transfer of charge occurs. This excess of electrons within the cloud makes it act like a capacitor, and should the conditions be correct, huge electrical discharges may be observed as bolts of lightning during volcanic eruptions. It seems that the Chaiten volcano’s recent activity has created the perfect conditions for such a show, allowing photographers in the region to capture some stunning images.
I actually saw the picture shown at the top of this article in a double page spread in today’s edition of the UK’s Daily Mail. At first I couldn’t work out what I was seeing but on reading the caption I soon realized it was connected with the recent eruption in Chile. Fortunately the Daily Mail also posted the article on their website, giving me the opportunity to share these incredible images on the Universe Today.
This region of South America has some very active plate tectonics and has been dubbed “Andean Arc” region of Chile, Peru, Ecuador and Columbia containing around 200 to 300 volcanoes. Volcanologists are highly concerned as many of these volcanoes are located in densely populated areas, so they are studying the Chaiten eruption very carefully. The small town of Chaiten is being threatened by this particular eruption, but fortunately the surrounding area is otherwise unpopulated.
Sources: Physorg.com, Daily Mail
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You’re right!! It’s a BIG ANGRY ELEPHANT! I soooo wish I’d seen that before I ran the article.
Awesome!
Thanks Kendall
hehe, I can see that too! But I still can’t get over the elephant
o_O
BEST…
PICTURE…
EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(Sorry, my normally very rational brain has conked out on this…)
Someone, PLEASE, make a 1920 x 1200 version of this image as a screen background!!!!!!!
Here’s a bigger version!
indeed, fantastic photo!
Just unbelievable.
@serenity: THANK YOU!
Holy shit !!!!
Thanks for the jpg its my new wallpaper !
Holy baloney!
What a sight!
What are those fainter blue-tainted rays seen in the first two images, BTW? Afterglows?
an amazing picture
Does anybody other than me see the large, angry elephant? Look for the trunk and the ears. Then you’ll start seeing the front leg and the rest. Maybe I should call it Ganesha, so I can end up on badastronomy.dom, under pareidolia.
I actually think it looks like a big buffalo!
What a scary storm, though…
Heh! Elephant from hell!
Amazing photo – this thing looks like it could go up sometime soon. Then again, who knows with volcanos…
there are GREEN bolts if you notice .
They look more like ionised Oxygen just after the bolt
Any chance of a better multi size quility one ?
Cheers.
The green bolts are actually refreactions from the lens and the brightness of the main bolts.
Amazing photos.
Mike.
Its scary to see what the Earth is really capable of.
Amazing! The beauty of this planet!!!!
The power & wonder this planet has to offer – – I’m in awe of Nature.
It´s really amazing..but is not a simple storm…it is due to the Volcano erupt, go and search for the following news – Chaiten Volcano Chile south America –
http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30200-1314939,00.html
Looks great..but there is a lot of people suffering because they have to leave their houses..
Mauro – From Chile.
I think it looks more like the minatour released from its labyrinth.
That is one big dirty cloud.