Ball Lightning: An Assessment of the Known Physical Features and a Suggested Mathematical Model
1 : Department of Electrical Engineering and Electronics, The University of Liverpool, Brownlow Hill, Liverpool, L69 3GJ
ABSTRACT
A brief review of the salient features of ball lightning is given, listing what appear to be the essential physical effects of these elusive and varied happenings. This is followed by a discussion of the chief requirements of any model which explains the spatial and transient nature of these rare events. A simple model is then put forward incorporating the main features of the phenomena. The model is amenable to a mathematical analysis based on the field theory of charge drift. As many of the results as space restrictions permit are given. These are in agreement with the observations.
