A proposed theory of the phenomenon of ball lightning

The paper describes a solution of the electromagnetic field equations representing the basic wave equation in spherical coordinates, characterized by extremely strong electric fields at the center giving rise to a local ionized region of the ambient gas. The solution describes the localized fields as a standing wave of radial direct current (DC) pulses in an electrodeless spherical transmission line forming a floating ‘free space circuit’. The presentation describes a sequence of processes initiated by excitation of the spherical circuit by atmospheric discharges, followed by a parametric type conversion of the prestrike electric energy stored in the charged cloud, via magnetic energy during the strike, to poststrike electric energy stored in the spherical system as the final state. Most of the stored energy is localized outside the ionized region inside which small conduction losses as well as emission of visible light cause decay of the trapped energy so that the phenomenon dies out after some time. The resemblance to the characteristics of ball lightning is immediately apparent. The described energy conversion process is not a singular or rare event but is bound to happen regularly as the aftermath of any atmospheric discharge; otherwise Maxwell’s field equations would be violated. But apparently, only a small fraction of the events give rise to ball lightning, a fact attributed to the demand of additional conditions to be satisfied in order for the ionization to happen. The paper discusses the expected characteristics of the described phenomenon, which are shown to be compatible with the bulk of typical ball lightning observations, with no obvious contradictions. The parametric type conversion process, which appears to be an unavoidable aftermath of atmospheric discharges of any kind, might possibly give rise to a wider group of phenomena than just ball lightning such as the often observed higher altitude atmospheric light phenomena of various kind.