Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Magnitude-8+ Earthquake, 87km SW of Pijijiapan, Mexico

earthquake.usgs.gov

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

1–10 of 63 posts

Re: Magnitude-8+ Earthquake, 87km SW of Pijijiapan, Mexico

#3

Post by adventured »

mrb wrote: post #2

Really cool "green lightning" effect observed before and during the earthquake: https://mobile.twitter.com/AlanEchelon96/status/906031454529... I believe this phenomenon is still not understood...

It's from damage to the electrical grid.

Re: Magnitude-8+ Earthquake, 87km SW of Pijijiapan, Mexico

#5

Post by elramram »

mrb wrote: post #2

Really cool "green lightning" effect observed before and during the earthquake: https://mobile.twitter.com/AlanEchelon96/status/906031454529... I believe this phenomenon is still not understood...

It's called Earthquake Light. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earthquake_light

Re: Magnitude-8+ Earthquake, 87km SW of Pijijiapan, Mexico

#6

Post by King-Aaron »

adventured wrote: post #3
mrb wrote: post #2

Really cool "green lightning" effect observed before and during the earthquake: https://mobile.twitter.com/AlanEchelon96/status/906031454529... I believe this phenomenon is still not understood...

It's from damage to the electrical grid.

While this is very plausible, it wouldn't explain the historical accounts of "earthquake lights" that have been reported as far back as the 1600's (http://srl.geoscienceworld.org/content/85/1/159)

Edit: It's also been reported around the world that these lights can occur days, even weeks before an earthquake happens.

There's a lot of different explanations for it, but I understand that it's never been definitively explained.

Re: Magnitude-8+ Earthquake, 87km SW of Pijijiapan, Mexico

#7

Post by ianai »

King-Aaron wrote: post #6
adventured wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's from damage to the electrical grid.

While this is very plausible, it wouldn't explain the historical accounts of "earthquake lights" that have been reported as far back as the 1600's ( http://srl.geoscienceworld.org/content/85/1/159 ) Edit: It's also been reported around the world that these lights can occur days, even weeks before an earthquake happens. There's a lot of different explanations for it, but I understand that it's never been definitively…

I like the stress induced ionization theory from Wikipedia.

Re: Magnitude-8+ Earthquake, 87km SW of Pijijiapan, Mexico

#8

Post by VMG »

adventured wrote: post #3
mrb wrote: post #2

Really cool "green lightning" effect observed before and during the earthquake: https://mobile.twitter.com/AlanEchelon96/status/906031454529... I believe this phenomenon is still not understood...

It's from damage to the electrical grid.

Unlikely. Have not seen it for other types of grid damage.

Re: Magnitude-8+ Earthquake, 87km SW of Pijijiapan, Mexico

#9

Post by King-Aaron »

VMG wrote: post #8
adventured wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's from damage to the electrical grid.

Unlikely. Have not seen it for other types of grid damage.

To be fair, the amount of light emitted from a mains transformer exploding is something to behold
Post reply on HN