Although we associate most, if not all of the lightning storms we see with the cumulonimbus cloud, it is possible to have lightning striking the ground with no cloud what so ever. Most recently, the eruption of the volcano Eyjafjallajokull in Iceland in April 2010 produced a visually stunning natural phenomenon. But how did it happen?
Eyjafjallajokull eruption
Volcanic activity can trigger lightning as the enormous quantities of material and gases exploding out into the atmosphere creates a dense plume of highly charged particles. When these charged particles come in contact with neutrally charged particles in the ash, electrons can flow and the ash becomes charged relative to the other particles - think of rubbing a balloon quickly against your head. The same type of charge is building up but on a massive scale. This causes flashes in an attempt to neutralise particles again.
The lightning can be in many forms such as bolt lightning, sheet lightning and St Elmo's fireball (ball lightning).
Volcanic activity can trigger lightning as the enormous quantities of material and gases exploding out into the atmosphere creates a dense plume of highly charged particles. When these charged particles come in contact with neutrally charged particles in the ash, electrons can flow and the ash becomes charged relative to the other particles - think of rubbing a balloon quickly against your head. The same type of charge is building up but on a massive scale. This causes flashes in an attempt to neutralise particles again.
The lightning can be in many forms such as bolt lightning, sheet lightning and St Elmo's fireball (ball lightning).
