Wednesday 09 April 2025
A stream of charged particles, similar to those found in thunderstorms, has been created in a laboratory setting and used to make objects glow. The experiment, conducted by scientists at the Hydrodynamics Institute in Novosibirsk, Russia, has shed new light on the phenomenon known as St. Elmo’s fire.
In nature, St. Elmo’s fire is a bright blue or purple glow that appears on pointed objects during thunderstorms. It’s often seen on ship masts, mountain peaks, and even trees. The exact cause of this phenomenon has been debated among scientists for years, with some attributing it to a corona discharge and others believing it may be related to the electrical charges present in the air.
In their experiment, the Russian researchers created a stream of charged water droplets by using a special generator that produced a continuous jet of air carrying tiny drops of liquid. The droplets were around 10 micrometers in diameter and carried an electric charge of up to 30 microcoulombs per second.
When objects were placed in the stream, they began to glow brightly, with some even producing a fan-shaped pattern of light radiating from their pointed ends. The scientists found that the glow was most intense when the object was close to the generator and decreased as it moved further away.
The researchers also experimented with different materials, including ebonite rods and fishing lines, to see if they could influence the glow. They discovered that objects made of insulating materials, such as glass or plastic, were more likely to produce a bright glow than those made of conductive materials like metal.
One of the most interesting aspects of this experiment was the discovery that when a stream of charged particles was directed at an object, it could create a glowing effect even if the object itself was not electrically charged. This suggests that St. Elmo’s fire may not be solely the result of electrical discharges, but rather the interaction between the charged particles and the object.
The implications of this research are significant, as it could provide new insights into the physics of thunderstorms and the phenomenon of St. Elmo’s fire. It also raises questions about the potential applications of this technology in fields such as medicine and materials science.
For example, the glow produced by the charged particles could potentially be used to create new medical imaging techniques or even to develop more efficient ways of sterilizing medical equipment.
Cite this article: “Electric Dreams: Scientists Uncover the Secrets of St. Elmos Fire and its Connection to Glowing Objects”, The Science Archive, 2025.
Charged Particles, St. Elmo’S Fire, Thunderstorms, Electrical Charges, Corona Discharge, Glow, Laboratory, Novosibirsk, Russia, Medical Imaging
Reference: B. V. Voitsekhovskii, B. B. Voitsekhovskii, “Glow in a stream of charged particles” (2025).
