We conduct lightning simulation experiments on volcanic ash samples and examine the resulting chemical, textural, and magnetic effects using a variety of analytical techniques. We also study the properties of volcanic ash that may influence electrical activity in the atmosphere.
Check out some of our recent publications regarding the effects of lightning on volcanic ash. These studies were funded by the National Science Foundation:
- Woods, T. W., Feinberg, J. M., Genareau, K., Park, C., Won, H., & Hong, Y. K. (2023). Magnetic Properties of Lightning‐Induced Glass Produced From Five Mineral Phases. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 128(9), e2023JB026561.
- Woods, T.W., Genareau, K. and Klüss, J., 2021. Alteration of volcanic ash glass chemistry due to lightning. Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, 419, p.107340.
- Genareau, K., Wallace, K.L., Gharghabi, P. and Gafford, J., 2019. Lightning effects on the grain size distribution of volcanic ash. Geophysical Research Letters, 46(6), pp.3133-3141.
- Genareau, K., Hong, Y.K., Lee, W., Choi, M., Rostaghi-Chalaki, M., Gharghabi, P., Gafford, J. and Klüss, J., 2019. Effects of lightning on the magnetic properties of volcanic ash. Scientific reports, 9(1), pp.1-11.
- Genareau, K., Gharghabi, P. and Klüss, J., 2020. Influence of shock propagation on lightning evidence in volcanic ashfall deposits. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 535, p.116124.