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Time resolved study of simulated volcanic lightning by laser induced plasma in a plume of ablated basalt
Author(s) -
Sobral Hugo,
Sanginés de Castro Roberto,
VillagránMuniz Mayo,
NavarroGonzález Rafael
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/2003gl019217
Subject(s) - lightning (connector) , plume , shadowgraphy , volcano , plasma , laser , laser induced breakdown spectroscopy , materials science , atmospheric sciences , geology , environmental science , meteorology , optics , physics , seismology , power (physics) , quantum mechanics
Lightning activity is typically generated by explosive volcanic activity. In this work we report an experimental simulation of a volcanic lightning by focusing into a basaltic rock the emission of a pulsed Nd: YAG laser in air at atmospheric pressure (laser ablation). The temporal evolution of air breakdown in an ash plume was studied by emission spectroscopy and shadowgraphy. The electron temperature exceeds 18 × 10 3 K and the electron density reaches about 10 18 cm −3 . The production yield of nitric oxide by simulated volcanic lightning was determined by gas chromatography coupled to a mass spectrometer and no substantial difference was found with that of simulated thunderstorm lightning by laser induced plasma.