Lab experiment may help provide information on ball lightning

BBC : Because ball lightning is rarely observed in nature, it is hard to study and therefore not well understood. Lab experiments that generate plasma discharges above electrolytic solutions have the potential to provide some insight into the phenomenon. Mike Lindsay of the US Air Force Academy and his colleagues have expanded that approach by using high-speed cameras and varying the acid concentration of the electrolyte solution. They found that they could create longer-lasting plasma balls, which gave them more time to study the balls’ properties. By examining the balls in the IR, the researchers observed how their density and structure changed over time. From their observations, they deduced the presence of water vapor, carbon dioxide, and other as-yet-undetermined chemicals in the plasma. However, while the plasma balls share many properties with ball lightning, there are distinct differences. More detailed study is needed, which will require further extending the lifetime of the plasma balls.