Lightning generated within the ash plume of an erupting volcano, produced when fragments of ash, ice and rock collide and rub against each other in the turbulent plume, building up static electrical charge much as ice particles do in an ordinary thunderstorm. It can occur near the vent itself or higher in the plume, and dramatic displays have been recorded at eruptions including Iceland's Eyjafjallajokull in 2010 and Chile's Calbuco in 2015.
Facts
ScaleSmaller ash plumes of about 1 to 4 km draw more of their electric charge from the fragmentation of rock near the vent, while taller plumes of about 7 to 12 km draw more charge from water vapor and ice in the plume 1 First DescribedFirst described by the Roman writer Pliny the Younger, who recorded lightning amid the darkness and ash of the AD 79 eruption of Mount Vesuvius; the first scientific study came far later, from Luigi Palmieri, who observed Vesuvius eruptions in 1858, 1861, 1868 and 1872 from the Vesuvius Observatory 1 Connections
Associated With
Volcanic lightning is generated within the ash-rich eruption plume itself, produced by charge separation among colliding ash particles and ice during an explosive eruption.
Sources
1. Wikipedia - Volcanic Lightning
Mechanisms section
taller ash plumes (7-12 km) large concentrations of water vapor may contribute to lightning activity, while smaller ash plumes (1-4 km) appear to gain more of their electric charge from fragmentation of rocks near the vent
History section
There was a most intense darkness rendered more appalling by the fitful gleam of torches at intervals obscured by the transient blaze of lightning.
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