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What forms and powers ball lightning?

Asked 26 Oct 2026 by ·5 answers·0·0 following
Most likely: lightning vaporises soil silica; silicon nanoparticle networks glow as they slowly oxidiseAhead on the evidence, not yet confirmed. It needs two reviews to be accepted.

Where it stands

Five answers have been proposed. Lightning vaporises soil silica; silicon nanoparticle networks glow as they slowly oxidise. leads, with evidence 3 for, 1 against: partly supported by its tests. Four are still possible. Of the two narrower questions under it, none is answered yet.

Why it matters

A ball that glows for seconds needs an energy store or supply; the models differ on what it is and make different predictions about spectra, location and microwave emission⁠[1]⁠[2]⁠[3].

Answers 5

Evidence: 3 for, 1 against
Most likely
Evidence: 1 for, 1 against
Still possible
Evidence: 1 for, 1 against
Still possible
Evidence: 1 against
Disputed
None of these.
Not tested enough to call either way
Evidence: none yet
Still possible

History

  1. Abrahamson & Dinniss puts forward: lightning vaporises soil silica; silicon nanoparticle networks glow as they slowly oxidise.
  2. Dikhtyar & Jerby: microwave-heated silicates eject buoyant fireballs, which the authors relate to the silicon model.For: Lightning vaporises soil silica; silicon nanoparticle networks glow as they slowly oxidise.
  3. Paiva et al.: arc discharges into silicon produce luminous balls lasting seconds.For: Lightning vaporises soil silica; silicon nanoparticle networks glow as they slowly oxidise.
  4. Versteegh et al. puts forward: a chemically sustained plasmoid formed by a discharge into a wet or mineral surface.
  5. Versteegh et al.: the laboratory plasmoids live well under a second, shorter than most reports.Against: A chemically sustained plasmoid formed by a discharge into a wet or mineral surface.
  6. Versteegh et al.: water-discharge plasmoids last hundreds of milliseconds and emit mainly CaOH bands.For: A chemically sustained plasmoid formed by a discharge into a wet or mineral surface.
  7. Wu puts forward: microwaves generated at the stroke tip are trapped in a self-made plasma bubble.
  8. Wu: balls reported inside aircraft are hard to reconcile with a soil source.Against: Lightning vaporises soil silica; silicon nanoparticle networks glow as they slowly oxidise.
  9. Wu: particle simulations reproduce a stable radiation-filled plasma bubble.For: Microwaves generated at the stroke tip are trapped in a self-made plasma bubble.
  10. An et al.: the only recorded spectrum is dominated by soil elements.Against: Microwaves generated at the stroke tip are trapped in a self-made plasma bubble.
  11. Zhitnitsky puts forward: new physics, such as dark-matter nuggets or magnetic monopoles.
  12. Zhitnitsky: proposed without an observational test.Against: New physics, such as dark-matter nuggets or magnetic monopoles.
  13. Asked on this site
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