Lightning that struck a tree on Florida’s West Coast prompted the formation of a new one Phosphormaterials favored that has not yet been seen on earth. The mineral, which is very similar to calcium phosphite, was discovered for the first time in a solid form – encased in a lump of metal, also “It shines called. This could represent a member of a new mineral group.
The lump was formed by the reaction of the hot flash with the sand.
“seen nowhere”
Fulgurites are common when lightning strikes certain types of sand, silica, and rock. In this structure, however, they are new. “We have never seen this material occur naturally on Earth – minerals similar to it can be found in meteorites and in space, but we have not seen this exact material anywhere,” says the geoscientist Matthew Pasek of the University of South Florida.
It shines
© Matthew Pasek
The flash vaporized the carbon in the tree as well as that Eisen, that had accumulated around its roots. The elements reacted, creating the slug of metal. Try this CAHPO3 replicating in the laboratory have not been successful. This suggests that certain, as yet unknown, conditions are required to produce it.
make people melt
Pasek’s team examined minerals that contain the element phosphorus in order to better understand high-energy phenomena. Above all, it was about those caused by lightning strikes. “It’s important to understand how much energy lightning has, because then we know how much damage a lightning strike can do on average and how dangerous it is,” says Pasek. Florida is the center for lightning strikes, so lightning safety is essential. “If lightning is strong enough to melt rock, it can certainly melt people,” he says.
Other forms of such minerals may also be conceivable. They may once have been important in the development of life on Earth.
The study was in Communications Earth & Environment veröffentlicht.
