# Volcano erupts in Chile!



## Bladestunner316 (May 6, 2008)

http://www.tflive.com/images/we_are_almost_there_mr_frodo.jpg


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## Puritan Sailor (May 6, 2008)

Cool pic!


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## Zenas (May 6, 2008)

Why is there lightning?


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## toddpedlar (May 6, 2008)

Zenas said:


> Why is there lightning?



Same reason that you get shocked when you shuffle your feet on the carpet and touch a metal door knob. 

Lightning in volcanic eruptions is, I believe, rather common. The ash sent up in the volcanic plume is flowing upward at a furious rate - as the dust particles bump into each other, they rub off electric charges, and eventually set up what is effectively a big voltage between the cloud and the surrounding air (or the cloud higher up). Eventually that voltage difference becomes large enough that the air can break down and BAM - you got lightning.

Same thing happens in thunderheads - the air currents driving water molecules in a convection pattern inside thunderheads generates sufficient voltage differences that lightning (air breakdown and electrical connection across that broken-down air path) can strike.


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## Poimen (May 6, 2008)

That is a fantastic picture. Is it possible, however, that it was embellished with photo shop?


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## toddpedlar (May 6, 2008)

Poimen said:


> That is a fantastic picture. Is it possible, however, that it was embellished with photo shop?



I doubt it... here's from the Daily Telegraph:


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## Augusta (May 6, 2008)

Cool!! My new desktop.


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