Electrifying Images of Volcano Lightning

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Jagged lines of lightning electrify the ash plume
Photographer Olivier Vandeginste captured images of the wild lightning within the ash plume of the Icelandic volcano from a distance of about 15 miles (25 km) from the Eyjafjallajokull volcanic craters. "Truly a wonderful experience to see the lightning crawl around the lava eruption. A pity we couldn't get any closer," Vandeginste said. (Image credit: Olivier Vandeginste)

Electrifying Images of Volcano Lightning

Huge bolts of lightning are being generated

(Image credit: Olivier Vandeginste)

Photographer Olivier Vandeginste captured images of the wild lightning within the ash plume of the Icelandic volcano from a distance of about 15 miles (25 km) from the Eyjafjallajokull volcanic craters. "Truly a wonderful experience to see the lightning crawl around the lava eruption. A pity we couldn't get any closer," Vandeginste said.

Electrifying Images of Volcano Lightning

Huge bolts of lightning are being generated

(Image credit: Olivier Vandeginste)

Plumes that shoot from the mouths of erupting volcanoes can produce sheaths of lightning. While lightning is associated with thunderstorms, hurricanes and other severe weather, a volcano's roiling clouds of debris can also produce them.

Electrifying Images of Volcano Lightning

Lightning in the ash plume

(Image credit: Olivier Vandeginste)

Lightning in the ash plume of Iceland's Eyjafjallajokull volcano.

Electrifying Images of Volcano Lightning

Lightning in the ash plume

(Image credit: Olivier Vandeginste)

As a plume rotates, it can spawn waterspouts or dust devils and group together the electric charges in the plume to form a sheath of lightning.

Electrifying Images of Volcano Lightning

Inside the plumes that generate the lightning

(Image credit: Olivier Vandeginste)

Volcano lightning may be generated in a similar way to that in normal thunderstorms in a process called "dirty thunderstorms." In a normal thunderstorm, ice particles rub together to generate an electrical charge; in the case of a volcano, rock fragments, ash and ice may all rub together to produce this charge.

Electrifying Images of Volcano Lightning

Thunderstorm

(Image credit: Olivier Vandeginste)

Volcano lightning may be generated in a similar way to that in normal thunderstorms in a process called "dirty thunderstorms." In a normal thunderstorm, ice particles rub together to generate an electrical charge; in the case of a volcano, rock fragments, ash and ice may all rub together to produce this charge.

Electrifying Images of Volcano Lightning

Jagged lines of lightning

(Image credit: Olivier Vandeginste)

Jagged lines of lightning electrify the ash plume billowing from the Eyjafjallajokull volcano in Iceland.

Live Science Staff
Live Science Staff
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