Mysterious Light Associated with Earthquakes Now Linked to Geologic Rift Zones

scientificamerican.com ^ | January 3, 2014 | Alexandra Witze

[BenLurkin]

The study, published in the January/February issue of Seismological Research Letters pulls together several strands of research to propose a mechanism by which earthquake lights form. The authors suggest that, during an earthquake, the stress of rocks grinding against each other generates electric charges, which travel upwards along the nearly vertical geological faults that are common in rift zones. When the charges reach Earth's surface and interact with the atmosphere, they create a glow.

[ClearCase_guy]

Is it really a “study”? or is it just a cool possibility that someone dreamed up?

[BenLurkin]

Yup

[RckyRaCoCo]

Set up a static warp shell.

[RegulatorCountry]

Kind of like chewing on peppermint Lifesavers in the dark, huh? Wonder if this might explain persistent mysterious lights, i.e. the Brown Mountain Lights in NC?

[BenLurkin]

No those are ufos.

8^)

[DannyTN]

It's a bird, it's a plane, it's an earthquake?

[doc1019]

Even if this were true, would it happen soon enough to help anyone?

[Dogbert41]

I remember there being some funny lights in the sky filmed in China just before a big one there a couple of years ago. They looked sort of like Northern Lights.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKMTSDzU1Z4

[Cribb]

Wonder if this might be an answer to the Marfa lights.

[Dogbert41]

Yeah, that’s them.

[21twelve]

WIKI: Piezoelectricity is the electric charge that accumulates in certain solid materials (such as crystals, certain ceramics, and biological matter such as bone, DNA and various proteins)[1] in response to applied mechanical stress. The word piezoelectricity means electricity resulting from pressure. It is derived from the Greek piezo or piezein , which means to squeeze or press, and electric or electron ( which stands for amber, an ancient source of electric charge.[2] Piezoelectricity was discovered in 1880 by French physicists Jacques and Pierre Curie.[3]

I've read about this for a LONG time, and figured it had something to do with the piezoelectric effect. It sounds like they are also just making some logical explanations, but no real studies. I keep being late to putting my thoughts into action, so tomorrow I am putting together a grant request to study the electrical generating properties along fault lines to run a concession of plug-in centers for electrical cars. $950 million should be enough to get me started on this environmentally sound and climate friendly proposition.

[Graewoulf]

Be sure and paint the electric cars green.

[BenLurkin]

Ice crystals refracting sunlight?

[BenLurkin]

Ice crystals refracting sunlight?

[lbryce]

I’ve read about mysterious lights that appear during earthquakes that in an event of such cataclysmic circumstances are difficult to study, observe. While this article tries to explain the anecdotal phenomena as reported to occur, it certainly is one that won’t be readily resolved.

[gizmotoby]

This is news...
I read this 10 years ago in a Orogeny Journal when I was researching for a college term paper.

[Cold Heart]

Sounds like the author of the article read some studies & gave his opinion of them. I read nothing new out of the article that I haven't read hear on FR, other than the man alerting his family to evacuate the house prior to a quake.

[Noob1999]

bfl

[RegulatorCountry]

Seems like Mulder and Skully tangled with a giant fungus in a cave that was causing it, lol. Was it an alien fungus?