That looks like an ultra-short exposure visible light exposure. Not X-rays. They could probably have taken an X-ray image-- there was certainly stuff in the frame hot enough to be emitting them-- but that ain't it.
The rig is kind of like a vertical Stalinorgel/Katyusha-- a bunch of tubes from which unguided rockets are launched. In this case, the rockets are basically glorified 'model rockets' which pull fine copper wires (about like light monofilament fishing line) off spools and up towards the storm cloud. The lightning hits and vaporizes (converts to a plasma, actually) the wire which, being mainly copper, glows green. The obvious bolt next to the green plasma glow is likely lightning which didn't make it through the wire while it was still a wire and was in excess of what the plasma could conduct.
There was a spectacular episode of 'Nova' 20 or 30 years ago where such a device in Florida was shown in use.
fucking a. I'm just saying.
ReplyDeleteGrandpa
[rocketride]
ReplyDeleteThat looks like an ultra-short exposure visible light exposure. Not X-rays. They could probably have taken an X-ray image-- there was certainly stuff in the frame hot enough to be emitting them-- but that ain't it.
The rig is kind of like a vertical Stalinorgel/Katyusha-- a bunch of tubes from which unguided rockets are launched. In this case, the rockets are basically glorified 'model rockets' which pull fine copper wires (about like light monofilament fishing line) off spools and up towards the storm cloud. The lightning hits and vaporizes (converts to a plasma, actually) the wire which, being mainly copper, glows green. The obvious bolt next to the green plasma glow is likely lightning which didn't make it through the wire while it was still a wire and was in excess of what the plasma could conduct.
There was a spectacular episode of 'Nova' 20 or 30 years ago where such a device in Florida was shown in use.