dorsal/arxiv
View SchemaExciton matter sustained by colossal dispersive interactions due to enhanced polarizability: Possible clue to ball lightning
| Authors | Mladen Georgiev, Jai Singh |
|---|---|
| Categories | |
| ArXiv ID | physics/0509212 |
| URL | https://arxiv.org/abs/physics/0509212 |
Abstract
Recently Gilman has pointed out that the material state of a ball lightning is both highly cohesive and flexible. He makes a specific proposal for a cohesive state arising from (colossal) Van-der-Waals attraction between highly polarizable Rydberg atoms produced under a linear lightning. We accept his general suggestions but propose that the colossal Van-der-Waals coupling may also arise from the enhanced polarizability of surrogate molecular clusters, due to the polaron gap narrowing effect. We consider a few illuminating cases and present calculations for the ammonia molecule. Although being unable to identify the exact nature of the surrogate molecules at least for the time-being, we suggest a general scenario of photoexcited vibronic excitons forming a supersaturated surrogate gas phase in which a ball arises as a result of condensation. The orange color of the luminous ball is due to radiative exciton deexcitation and suggests that there may be a unique surrogate material for ball lightning.
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"abstract": "Recently Gilman has pointed out that the material state of a ball lightning\nis both highly cohesive and flexible. He makes a specific proposal for a\ncohesive state arising from (colossal) Van-der-Waals attraction between highly\npolarizable Rydberg atoms produced under a linear lightning. We accept his\ngeneral suggestions but propose that the colossal Van-der-Waals coupling may\nalso arise from the enhanced polarizability of surrogate molecular clusters,\ndue to the polaron gap narrowing effect. We consider a few illuminating cases\nand present calculations for the ammonia molecule. Although being unable to\nidentify the exact nature of the surrogate molecules at least for the\ntime-being, we suggest a general scenario of photoexcited vibronic excitons\nforming a supersaturated surrogate gas phase in which a ball arises as a result\nof condensation. The orange color of the luminous ball is due to radiative\nexciton deexcitation and suggests that there may be a unique surrogate material\nfor ball lightning.",
"arxiv_id": "physics/0509212",
"authors": [
"Mladen Georgiev",
"Jai Singh"
],
"categories": [
"physics.ao-ph"
],
"title": "Exciton matter sustained by colossal dispersive interactions due to enhanced polarizability: Possible clue to ball lightning",
"url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/physics/0509212"
},
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