Scientists have confirmed the hypothesis of cosmic lightning

Lightnings on the Katatumbo River

Scientists working with the LOFAR (LOw Frequency ARray) project, which is an interferometric lattice of radio telescopes distributed throughout Europe, made two important experimental confirmations of the earlier hypotheses. First, it turned out that with the help of radio telescopes, thunderclouds can be studied. Secondly, it seems that lightning does indeed arise as a result of interference with cosmic rays in the atmosphere.

Since childhood, lightning has been familiar to almost all the inhabitants of the planet. A powerful electric discharge equalizes the resulting potential difference between the clouds, or between the clouds and the earth. All the properties of lightning have not been studied so far, in particular, the specific mechanism of their occurrence is not clear. The potential difference itself, causing lightning, is not strong enough to turn air from a dielectric into a conductor.



Among the hypotheses put forward, the most popular is considered, which explains the ionization of the atmosphere by the influence of high-energy cosmic radiation. When a particle from outer space, usually a proton or a heavier nucleus, collides with air molecules, it triggers a chain reaction in which millions of electrically charged particles rush to the ground. Due to their interaction with the geomagnetic field of the planet, waves are generated that are captured by LOFAR radio telescopes.

The main, and the densest part of the lattice of telescopes is distributed on a plot of 6 sq. Km. in the Netherlands. For three years of observation, scientists discovered 762 occurrences of high-frequency "rains." As explained by Pim Schellart, the radio astronomer who worked on the project and the head of the study, in good weather, the radio waves go to the Earth in orderly rows with the same polarization. When a thunderstorm begins nearby, the radio waves begin to behave randomly.



Such interference only interferes with observations of space objects. But, having decided to study lightning, scientists included high-efficiency electric fields arising in thunderclouds in their computer model. As a result, it turned out that the calculations coincided with the data obtained through radio telescopes. Heino Falke, one of the astronomers working at LOFAR, who had previously only dreamed of good weather, now, on the contrary, is waiting for a thunderstorm. “As scientists, we are waiting for the moment when lightning strikes right in the middle of LOFAR. But as radio astronomers, we hope that this does not happen. ”

Fans of this fascinating atmospheric phenomenon can be recommended to go to the Katatumbo River.in Venezuela. At its mouth, almost half the nights of the year, a unique natural phenomenon occurs - lightnings continuously flash there for 10 hours at night. This view is visible 40 km from the scene, and therefore is even used for navigation by local vessels.