Plasma discharges over northern Milwaukee county

whopkins@csd.uwm.edu

<jabberwocky><div class="vbmenu_control"><a href="jabberwocky:;" onClick="newWindow=window.open('','usenetCode','toolbar=no,location=no, scrollbars=yes,resizable=yes,status=no,width=650,height=400'); newWindow.document.write('<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>Usenet ASCII</TITLE></HEAD><BODY topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 BGCOLOR=#F1F1F1><table border=0 width=625><td bgcolor=midnightblue><font color=#F1F1F1>This Usenet message\'s original ASCII form: </font></td></tr><tr><td width=449><br><br><font face=courier><UL><PRE>Around 9:15-9:20 PM, local time, this past Wednesday, shortly after a\nstorm front passed over the lake, there were a series of disk-shaped\nplasma discharges which flew in synchronized patterns, spiralling\naround each other, at altitudes as low as 500-1000 meters over the\nground, at around an average speed of 600 MPH. Their appearance was of\na hazy glow, and not too unlike the appearance that spotlights would\nhave shining on clouds and could have easily passed for ghosts. These\nwere located throughout the sky, and low enough to be just within the\nthreshold of my depth perception (which is around 1000-1500 meters).\n\nInitially there were 20, gradually the number dropped down to 4. They\nmoved in synchrony, but tended to spiral around each other. Most\nsettled around clouds, underneath, and before dissipating they became\nstatic. One directly overhead remained static for a period of time\nbefore gradually fading away. No sound occurred other than a slight\nbreeze.\n\nThe phenomena, in fact, has a closely matching description, where it\nwas described vividly (but in a different context), in section 55,\n"Glow" of Maxwell\'s Treatise on electromagnetism. The accompanying\nsound, I believe was associated with what he called the "electric\nwind". The appearance was somewhat comparable to northern lights,\nexcept that you don\'t normally expect to see those at a latitude as low\nas 43 degrees. These were located (if anyone can access radar or\nsatellite logs) at around 87 degrees, 54 minutes West longitude, 43\ndegrees, 9 minutes North latitude; taking place over a region within a\n10000 meter radius.\n\nOf significance to note is that some were at low enough altitude that\nit\'s quite conceivable to entertain the notion that they could have\nreached all the way to the ground. Had they done so, in a field or\nfarmland, then given the pattern of their motions it\'s very likely they\nwould have left behind a symmetric and geometric imprint, not unlike\nwhat\'s reported in numerous places under the name "crop circles".\n\nMaxwell\'s explanation for the motion, in article 55, was that they were\nsimply following the lines of electromagnetic induction, and (because\nof their charge) had a tendency to repel each other and the discharge\nsources (here: the source would have been clouds?)\n\n</UL></PRE></font></td></tr></table></BODY><HTML>');"> <IMG SRC=/images/buttons/ip.gif BORDER=0 ALIGN=CENTER ALT="View this Usenet post in original ASCII form">  View this Usenet post in original ASCII form </a></div><P></jabberwocky>Around [itex]9:15-9:20[/itex] PM, local time, this past Wednesday, shortly after a
storm front passed over the lake, there were a series of disk-shaped
plasma discharges which flew in synchronized patterns, spiralling
around each other, at altitudes as low as [itex]500-1000[/itex] meters over the
ground, at around an average speed of 600 MPH. Their appearance was of
a hazy glow, and not too unlike the appearance that spotlights would
have shining on clouds and could have easily passed for ghosts. These
were located throughout the sky, and low enough to be just within the
threshold of my depth perception (which is around [itex]1000-1500[/itex] meters).

Initially there were 20, gradually the number dropped down to 4. They
moved in synchrony, but tended to spiral around each other. Most
settled around clouds, underneath, and before dissipating they became
static. One directly overhead remained static for a period of time
before gradually fading away. No sound occurred other than a slight
breeze.

The phenomena, in fact, has a closely matching description, where it
was described vividly (but in a different context), in section 55,
"Glow" of Maxwell's Treatise on electromagnetism. The accompanying
sound, I believe was associated with what he called the "electric
wind". The appearance was somewhat comparable to northern lights,
except that you don't normally expect to see those at a latitude as low
as 43 degrees. These were located (if anyone can access radar or
satellite logs) at around 87 degrees, 54 minutes West longitude, 43
degrees, 9 minutes North latitude; taking place over a region within a
10000 meter radius.

Of significance to note is that some were at low enough altitude that
it's quite conceivable to entertain the notion that they could have
reached all the way to the ground. Had they done so, in a field or
farmland, then given the pattern of their motions it's very likely they
would have left behind a symmetric and geometric imprint, not unlike
what's reported in numerous places under the name "crop circles".

Maxwell's explanation for the motion, in article 55, was that they were
simply following the lines of electromagnetic induction, and (because
of their charge) had a tendency to repel each other and the discharge
sources (here: the source would have been clouds?)

whopkins@csd.uwm.edu

<jabberwocky><div class="vbmenu_control"><a href="jabberwocky:;" onClick="newWindow=window.open('','usenetCode','toolbar=no,location=no, scrollbars=yes,resizable=yes,status=no,width=650,height=400'); newWindow.document.write('<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>Usenet ASCII</TITLE></HEAD><BODY topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 BGCOLOR=#F1F1F1><table border=0 width=625><td bgcolor=midnightblue><font color=#F1F1F1>This Usenet message\'s original ASCII form: </font></td></tr><tr><td width=449><br><br><font face=courier><UL><PRE>whopkins@csd.uwm.edu wrote:\n> Around 9:15-9:20 PM, local time, this past Wednesday, shortly after a\n> storm front passed over the lake, there were a series of disk-shaped\n> plasma discharges which flew in synchronized patterns, spiralling\n> around each other, at altitudes as low as 500-1000 meters over the\n> ground, at around an average speed of 600 MPH.\n\nFalse alarm. Turns out the same thing happened the following night,\nbut I also had a chance to see it from numerous different perspectives\nbeing in the middle of a 13 mile walk through the whole area.\n\nThe lights on Wednesday were low-lying fog banks illuminated by 4\nspotlights from somewhere over the horizon. The same pattern of motion\noccurred the following night, but this time with the streaks fully\nvisible.\n\n</UL></PRE></font></td></tr></table></BODY><HTML>');"> <IMG SRC=/images/buttons/ip.gif BORDER=0 ALIGN=CENTER ALT="View this Usenet post in original ASCII form">  View this Usenet post in original ASCII form </a></div><P></jabberwocky>whopkins@csd.uwm.edu wrote:
> Around [itex]9:15-9:20[/itex] PM, local time, this past Wednesday, shortly after a
> storm front passed over the lake, there were a series of disk-shaped
> plasma discharges which flew in synchronized patterns, spiralling
> around each other, at altitudes as low as [itex]500-1000[/itex] meters over the
> ground, at around an average speed of 600 MPH.

False alarm. Turns out the same thing happened the following night,
but I also had a chance to see it from numerous different perspectives
being in the middle of a 13 mile walk through the whole area.

The lights on Wednesday were low-lying fog banks illuminated by 4
spotlights from somewhere over the horizon. The same pattern of motion
occurred the following night, but this time with the streaks fully
visible.

Dirk Bruere at Neopax

<jabberwocky><div class="vbmenu_control"><a href="jabberwocky:;" onClick="newWindow=window.open('','usenetCode','toolbar=no,location=no, scrollbars=yes,resizable=yes,status=no,width=650,height=400'); newWindow.document.write('<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>Usenet ASCII</TITLE></HEAD><BODY topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 BGCOLOR=#F1F1F1><table border=0 width=625><td bgcolor=midnightblue><font color=#F1F1F1>This Usenet message\'s original ASCII form: </font></td></tr><tr><td width=449><br><br><font face=courier><UL><PRE>whopkins@csd.uwm.edu wrote:\n\n> Around 9:15-9:20 PM, local time, this past Wednesday, shortly after a\n> storm front passed over the lake, there were a series of disk-shaped\n> plasma discharges which flew in synchronized patterns, spiralling\n> around each other, at altitudes as low as 500-1000 meters over the\n> ground, at around an average speed of 600 MPH. Their appearance was of\n> a hazy glow, and not too unlike the appearance that spotlights would\n> have shining on clouds and could have easily passed for ghosts. These\n> were located throughout the sky, and low enough to be just within the\n> threshold of my depth perception (which is around 1000-1500 meters).\n>\n> Initially there were 20, gradually the number dropped down to 4. They\n> moved in synchrony, but tended to spiral around each other. Most\n> settled around clouds, underneath, and before dissipating they became\n> static. One directly overhead remained static for a period of time\n> before gradually fading away. No sound occurred other than a slight\n> breeze.\n>\n> The phenomena, in fact, has a closely matching description, where it\n> was described vividly (but in a different context), in section 55,\n> "Glow" of Maxwell\'s Treatise on electromagnetism. The accompanying\n> sound, I believe was associated with what he called the "electric\n> wind". The appearance was somewhat comparable to northern lights,\n> except that you don\'t normally expect to see those at a latitude as low\n> as 43 degrees. These were located (if anyone can access radar or\n> satellite logs) at around 87 degrees, 54 minutes West longitude, 43\n> degrees, 9 minutes North latitude; taking place over a region within a\n> 10000 meter radius.\n>\n> Of significance to note is that some were at low enough altitude that\n> it\'s quite conceivable to entertain the notion that they could have\n> reached all the way to the ground. Had they done so, in a field or\n> farmland, then given the pattern of their motions it\'s very likely they\n> would have left behind a symmetric and geometric imprint, not unlike\n> what\'s reported in numerous places under the name "crop circles".\n>\n> Maxwell\'s explanation for the motion, in article 55, was that they were\n> simply following the lines of electromagnetic induction, and (because\n> of their charge) had a tendency to repel each other and the discharge\n> sources (here: the source would have been clouds?)\n\nA few comments, but no explanations.\nFirst, I suggest you send this description to various bodies than might be\ninterested eg meteorologists, the more scientific UFO researchers, crop circle\npeople etc\n\nSecond, it would appear that the phenomenon is related to ball lightning.\nBeyond that, I don\'t have a clue and I\'d be suprised if anyone else did.\n[I hope to be suprised!]\n\nNevertheless, it does seem that your observations might be a quite important\nsource of data in a number of fields (no pun intended!).\n\n--\nDirk\n\nThe Consensus:-\nThe political party for the new millenium\nhttp://www.theconsensus.org\n\n</UL></PRE></font></td></tr></table></BODY><HTML>');"> <IMG SRC=/images/buttons/ip.gif BORDER=0 ALIGN=CENTER ALT="View this Usenet post in original ASCII form">  View this Usenet post in original ASCII form </a></div><P></jabberwocky>whopkins@csd.uwm.edu wrote:

> Around [itex]9:15-9:20[/itex] PM, local time, this past Wednesday, shortly after a
> storm front passed over the lake, there were a series of disk-shaped
> plasma discharges which flew in synchronized patterns, spiralling
> around each other, at altitudes as low as [itex]500-1000[/itex] meters over the
> ground, at around an average speed of 600 MPH. Their appearance was of
> a hazy glow, and not too unlike the appearance that spotlights would
> have shining on clouds and could have easily passed for ghosts. These
> were located throughout the sky, and low enough to be just within the
> threshold of my depth perception (which is around [itex]1000-1500[/itex] meters).
>
> Initially there were 20, gradually the number dropped down to 4. They
> moved in synchrony, but tended to spiral around each other. Most
> settled around clouds, underneath, and before dissipating they became
> static. One directly overhead remained static for a period of time
> before gradually fading away. No sound occurred other than a slight
> breeze.
>
> The phenomena, in fact, has a closely matching description, where it
> was described vividly (but in a different context), in section 55,
> "Glow" of Maxwell's Treatise on electromagnetism. The accompanying
> sound, I believe was associated with what he called the "electric
> wind". The appearance was somewhat comparable to northern lights,
> except that you don't normally expect to see those at a latitude as low
> as 43 degrees. These were located (if anyone can access radar or
> satellite logs) at around 87 degrees, 54 minutes West longitude, 43
> degrees, 9 minutes North latitude; taking place over a region within a
> 10000 meter radius.
>
> Of significance to note is that some were at low enough altitude that
> it's quite conceivable to entertain the notion that they could have
> reached all the way to the ground. Had they done so, in a field or
> farmland, then given the pattern of their motions it's very likely they
> would have left behind a symmetric and geometric imprint, not unlike
> what's reported in numerous places under the name "crop circles".
>
> Maxwell's explanation for the motion, in article 55, was that they were
> simply following the lines of electromagnetic induction, and (because
> of their charge) had a tendency to repel each other and the discharge
> sources (here: the source would have been clouds?)

A few comments, but no explanations.
First, I suggest you send this description to various bodies than might be
interested eg meteorologists, the more scientific UFO researchers, crop circle
people etc

Second, it would appear that the phenomenon is related to ball lightning.
Beyond that, I don't have a clue and I'd be suprised if anyone else did.
[I hope to be suprised!]

Nevertheless, it does seem that your observations might be a quite important
source of data in a number of fields (no pun intended!).

--
Dirk

The Consensus:-
The political party for the new millenium
http://www.theconsensus.org

Similar Threads for: Plasma discharges over northern Milwaukee county
Thread	Forum	Replies
discharges in gas tubes	Classical Physics	1
JOB: Postdoc for interdisciplinary nanomaterials research at University ofWisconsin-Milwaukee	General Physics	0
Collisional Excitation and Striations in Glow Discharges	General Physics	0
Missing Milwaukee boys tragedy: Perhaps a terrible accident and not a crime?	General Discussion	3