Certain Kinds of Lightning Produce Nuclear Reactions in Thunderclouds
December 4, 2017
by Philip Perry
If you’ve ever been shaken by a thunderclap, or sat in spectacle as a white forked tongue streaked across the sky, you’ve bore witness to one of the most powerful phenomena in the universe. Researchers in Japan recently found out just how powerful lighting is. Certain kinds produce gamma rays, leading to a nuclear reaction. According to the report published in the journal Nature, “Thunderclouds are natural particle accelerators.â€
Gamma rays have the smallest wavelength on the electromagnetic spectrum. They also pack the most energy. They’re usually born within the hottest environments, such as in the hearts of pulsars, neutron stars, and supernovas. Knowing this, it’s mind-blowing that gamma waves can be created right here on Earth, by a relatively common phenomenon.
http://bigthink.com/philip-perry/certain-kinds-of-lightning-produce-nuclear-reactions-in-thunderclouds
