4" x 6" x 1/2" Captured Lightning Edge Lichtenberg Figure & Matching Light Base

Description

4 x 6 x 1/2" "Captured Lightning" Electron Tree
Lichtenberg Figure Sculpture and Lighted Base
The scientific name for the branching pattern inside this Captured Lightning sculpture is a "Lichtenberg Figure". It is also sometimes called an Electron Tree or a Beam Tree. It was created by injecting a huge amount of electrical charge deep within clear acrylic (Plexiglas) and then suddenly releasing it to form countless lightning-like internal electrical discharges. The hot discharges leave a permanent record of their passage, creating a "Captured Lightning" figure in a process similar to the way fulgurites are sometimes created within sandy soil during a lightning strike. Lichtenberg Figures are named in honor of Georg Christoph Lichtenberg, the 18th century physicist who first discovered them. Dr. Lichtenberg originally used high voltage discharges from electrostatic machines and finely powdered sulfur and lead oxide to create 2-dimensional figures on the surface of insulating materials.
This modern 3-dimensional specimen was created by bombarding acrylic with trillions of high-speed electrons using a high voltage particle accelerator. The accelerator generates a beam of electrons that have been accelerated to as much as 99.5% the speed of light. When these relativistic electrons slam into the acrylic, they easily penetrate its surface, finally coming to rest about half way through the block. This causes a cloud-like region of excess negative charge, called a "space charge", to accumulate in the center of the acrylic block. Since acrylic is an excellent electrical insulator, the injected electrons become temporarily trapped, and a tremendous electrical charge rapidly builds inside the specimen as the beam injects additional electrons.
The potential of the space charge region grows to over 1.5 million volts. We then cause the acrylic to break down by very carefully poking it with a sharpened metal point. The trapped electrons then suddenly rush out in a powerful surge of electricity carrying many hundreds of amperes of current. The high-current discharge creates a countless brilliant miniature lightning bolts inside the acrylic, accompanied by a powerful BANG. The process and underlying physics of how we make our Captured Lightning sculptures are more fully described in this
video.
A one-page explanation of how your sculpture was created will be shipped along with your sculpture. As with lightning, the branching, self-similar discharges can be mathematically described as a type of fractal. Holding a Captured Lightning sculpture is about as just about as close as you can come to holding a lightning bolt in your hand.
The interior is charged to about 1.5 million volts before being manually discharged
Although the miniature "electrical storm" rages within the acrylic for less than 150 billionths of a second, the hot discharges create thousands of permanent microscopic tubes and fractures within the acrylic, forming a beautiful, permanent Lichtenberg Figure. Every sculpture is unique. Newer sculptures may retain an amber color on the side hit by the electron beam. Called solarization, the temporary coloration fades with time, while the Captured Lightning figure remains as a permanent feature. Buyer will receive a figure of similar quality as the one pictured below and a one-page explanation about how it was created.
Similar specimen naturally illuminated by sunlight with black velvet background
Each sculpture ships with a matching 4" wide black anodized brushed aluminum base with cool white LED's and an AC adapter with a
2-pin 120V North American plug. Please send me an eBay message if you need an optional adapter for 240 volt UK, EC or Australian power.
Our Captured Lightning sculptures are stunning and rare objects of scientific art, and they are only available from us.
Very few people have actually seen a Lichtenberg Figure, and far fewer are privileged to own a specimen as beautiful as this.
The sculpture literally glows when illuminated through an edge from a bright light source. The internal fractures behave like tiny mirrors, causing the larger discharge paths to sparkle in an almost crystalline fashion, Even the most delicate hair-like tips of the figure are highlighted.
The sculpture is best viewed against a dark background. Lighting it from behind, such as from light through a window, can actually detract from the sculpture's detail and appearance.
Our team of experienced physicists are Lichtenberg Figure experts ("Spark Whisperers"). Stoneridge Engineering offers Lichtenberg Figures that range in size from affordable 2 x 2 x 3/4 inch squares, gorgeous prisms and cubes with multiple discharge layers, to huge 15 x 20 x 2 inch museum quality specimens.
See
About Me
for further information about Lichtenberg Figures, our amazing Shrunken Coins, and the mad scientist from Stoneridge Engineering. Also, please see our
other unique Captured Lightning and electromagically shrunken coin auctions.
"A physical experiment which makes a bang is always worth more than a quiet one. Therefore a man cannot strongly enough ask of Heaven: if it wants to let him discover something, may it be something that makes a bang. It will resound into eternity." G. C. Lichtenberg 1742-1799
PLEASE NOTE: Items being shipped to countries outside the US may be subject to additional charges (Customs Fees, VAT, or In-Country Mail Service Handling fees). Payment of these fees are the sole responsibility of the buyer.
An ideal item for that amateur scientist, student, or collector on your gift list!
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