4" x 4" x 3/4" inch Captured Lightning Lichtenberg Figure & Walnut Light Base

Description

Four-inch square "Captured Lightning" Lichtenberg figure sculpture AND matching walnut light base
T
he branching pattern inside this 4" x 4" x 3/4" specimen is a "Captured Lightning" sculpture. The scientific term for this is a Lichtenberg Figure, but it is also called a Beam Tree or an Electron Tree. The lightning-like discharge was permanently captured inside the acrylic by using a process similar to the way glassy fulgurites are sometimes formed within sandy soil by 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 red lead oxide to create colorful 2-dimensional dust figures on the surface of insulating plates of resin. Our modern 3-dimensional versions were created by bombarding polished specimens of clear acrylic with trillions of high-speed electrons using a high voltage particle accelerator.
The electron accelerator generated a beam of electrons that were accelerated up o 99.5% the speed of light.
When these energetic electrons slammed into the acrylic, they easily penetrated its surface, finally coming to rest about half way through. This created a "cloud" of excess negative charge, called a space charge, to form deep inside the acrylic, similar to the way electrical charge builds within thunderclouds. Since acrylic is an excellent electrical insulator, the injected electrons became temporarily trapped, and a tremendous electrical charge is rapidly built up as the beam continued to inject billions of new electrons.
The potential of the charged region in this sculpture grew to over two million volts.
Sometimes the huge electrical stress causes the acrylic to suddenly break down, rapidly releasing the trapped charge. In other cases, such as this sculpture, breakdown was manually triggered by poking the charged specimen with a sharp metal point. The trapped electrons suddenly rushed out in a powerful surge of electricity carrying hundreds, or even thousands, of amperes. The high-current discharge created a brilliant miniature lightning bolt 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 and many other high voltage discharges, the branching, self-similar shape of the discharge can be described mathematically as a type of fractal.
This specimen was charged to ~2 million volts before being manually discharged
Although the internal "electrical storm" lasts for less than 100 billionths of a second, its passage creates thousands of permanent microscopic fractures and tubes in the acrylic, forming a beautifully preserved Captured Lightning sculpture deep within the acrylic. As with snowflakes, every sculpture is unique. New specimens may still retain an amber color caused by the high-energy irradiation process. Called solarization, the amber zone usually fades with time or through the application of gentle heat. Some specimens may also show light fogging when illuminated with bright white LED's, or light yellow-green fluorescence in the solarized region when illuminated by blue LED's.
These phenomena are normal and are a natural consequence of the high-energy processes we use to create our sculptures.
The internal chains of microscopic fractures behave like tiny mirrors, brilliantly reflecting any light that is shined from the edge(s) of the sculpture. The sculpture is best viewed against a dark background. Shining light through the sculpture from behind (such as light through a window) can actually detract from its detail and overall appearance. The lucky buyer will receive a sculpture of comparable quality as the one shown below, and a one-page explanation about what it is and how it was created.
A custom natural walnut light base is included with your sculpture. Bases are available
with either
cool white or "electric blue" LED's. Bases are normally provided with 120 volt North American/US power adapters. However, adapters with 240 volt UK, Australian, or EC plugs are available upon request.
Please send me an eBay message after you purchase your sculpture and base to let me know if you prefer cool white or blue LED's, and if you need a UK, AU, or EC power adapter.
Lichtenberg Figures combine high technology and beauty - they are stunning and unique specimens of scientific art.
Very few people have actually seen a Lichtenberg Figure, and far fewer are privileged to own one as nice as this. The internal Lichtenberg Figures literally glow when illuminated along an edge by an LED strip as the internal fractures sparkle from reflected light. Our team of experienced engineers and physicists are Lichtenberg Figure experts. Stoneridge Engineering offers Lichtenberg Figures that range in size from affordable 2 x 2 x 3/4 inch squares, gorgeous prisms, spheres,  and cubes with multi-layer discharges, to huge 15 x 20 x 2 Inch museum specimens.
See
About Me
for further information about our unique products and the mad scientists at Stoneridge Engineering. Also, please see our
other unique items such as electromagnetically shrunken coins.
"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 scientist or collector on your gift list!
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