Ball Lightning On Power Lines

Lightning conductors are designed to take the bolt.

Ball lightning on power lines. The balls are often found on the power lines surrounding smaller airports in open country. A direct lightning strike on a conductor of a power line causes extremely high voltage pulses at the strike point which are propagated as traveling waves in either direction from the point of strike. V i z. In fact many reports of ball lightning have been found to be nothing more than a lightning caused flashover.

The marker balls are placed on power lines to make the conductor crossings visible to aircraft. Since power line faults are extremely bright they are often mistaken for lightning as they light up the sky with their characteristic bluish green glow. Ball lightning is an unexplained atmospheric electrical phenomenon described as luminescent spherical objects that vary from pea sized to several meters in diameter though usually associated with thunderstorms the phenomenon is said to last considerably longer than the split second flash of a lightning bolt. Airports in cities do not often need these markers because power lines are kept far away from the airports and pilots can more easily see the runway and any obstacles that exist.

A power line warning light apparatus is installed on power lines electric power transmission lines and uses the electro magnetic coupled power from the power line to generate a periodical flashing light as a warning signal to the nearby flying vehicles to prevent collisions. V is the crest voltage i is the peak lightning current. Youtube an artist s impression of the ball lightning seen by many local residents on bell island newfoundland in 1978 was it ball lightning an overhead meteor explosion or a test of a top secret electromagnetic weapon of some kind. A luminescent orb of lightning speeds its way down a power line in lachine quebec.

Ball lightning is described as a luminous sphere which seems to appear out of nowhere and vanish into thin air. They can occur anywhere along power lines at transformers poles towers and substations. A typical ball is said to be 4 1 2 to 9 inches in diameter with a maximum range between about half an inch and three feet it may have a halo around it emit sparks or rays and remain visible for several minutes before disappearing either suddenly in an explosion or by gradually fading away. A huge fireball caused by lightning during a windstorm which left thousands of people without power narrowly.

What caused the explosive phenomenon on bell island newfoundland in 1978 that electrocuted livestock melted power. Flashovers have been around as long as man made electricity. The large red balls that sit on power lines in the middle of the country are primarily meant to help airline pilots see the lines to avoid running into them. Helicopters and small aircraft often fly low in mountain passes or freeways and usually fly low while approaching an airport.

When you are flying the conductors and skyline become almost invisible against the terrain especially the skyline wires. Depending on its intensity the lightning can scorch the conductor or melt a bit of it but they won t completely destroy it. The crest of the pulse can be calculated as.