Initiates Lightning

Initiates Lightning

Around the world at any given moment mm thunderstorms are churning through the sky producing up to 100 flashes. Lightning every second lightning might seem like something. We've got all figured out but in fact the details of the physics behind those flashes is still a bit of a mystery Los Alamos National Laboratories study's lightning because it produces signals similar to those from a nuclear explosion.

That understanding is helping us develop better instruments for nuclear test ban treaty monitoring and in a process allowing us to answer a lot of questions about lightning at balance. For example what initiates light some say it's caused by cosmic rays scattering enough electrons through the atmosphere to get a current going but recent research conducted by Los Alamos scientists and their collaborators strongly suggest that lightning actually arises from areas of extremely high localized electric fields not from the long paths. 

That a cosmic ray induced events would require. We're also learning that lightning can be a useful tool research shows that enhanced lightning. Rates can indicate severe weather maybe
some day our understandings. Lightning will allow us to use space-based lightning detection to predict tornadoes and other severe weather events with enough lead time to prevent casualties until. Then Los Alamos and keep studying and better understanding those mysterious energetic streaks in the sky.