Lightning Emits X-Rays

Makarand writes "Scientists have now confirmed that lightning does emit X-rays according to this BBC News article. That lightning might emit high energy radiation was first suggested in 1925, however, confirmation had proven difficult because of the sporadic nature of lightning and the electromagnetic "noise" it generates. A team at the University of Florida built a special tower allowing them to study lightning in detail by firing rockets trailed by grounded wire into storm clouds to trigger strikes. They detected X-Ray bursts that typically lasted less than 100 microseconds. The breakdown of air by strong electrical fields when the lightning creates a path from clouds to ground may generate these X-rays."

Comments

Aha!

[xyphus]

Science has finally explained why lightning always reveals Donald Duck's skeleton!

Re:Aha!

[Simon Field]

Now if we could just get him to wear pants...

Seriously, though, how do you shield your X-ray detector so you can prove to yourself that what you are seeing is not just the effect of power spikes and RF interference in your instruments?

I'm sure they did a good job of it -- but as a geek thing, I'd like to see how it was done.

Re:hands

[Yarn]

What a pick up line... "Want a free mammogram, my dad invented them"

You lucky, lucky man.

Now THERE'S a cool job

[Anonymous Coward]

Firing rockets from a hundred-foot tower into the heart of a raging thunderstorm? And getting paid to do it? Fuckin' A, that's the life.

Re:hands (OT)

[Cy Guy]

i live in a suburb just north of dallas, from about march-november we see thunder about once a week on average.

WOW! I've never seen thunder in my life. Could you describe what it looks like?

a couple of the girls i told this to believed it, .... telling them my dad worked on the original mamogram/soft tissue imaging systems helped with my credibility considerably. a good, fairly original line that will get you far :)

So how successful was this to convince them that you were also an expert at performing manual breast exams, and they should let you demonstrate on them?

Wrong title for story...

[tellurian]

"... by firing rockets trailed by grounded wire into storm clouds to trigger strikes."

Why isn't this story titled "Firing rockets with grounded wires into lightning clouds"? It would certainly get more attention.