Blog Post #1 - Taal Volcano Eruption

On January 12, 2020, the Taal Volcano location on the island of Luzon in the Philippines erupted and created the phenomenon known as a "volcanic thunderstorm" with ash, soot, and other lifted volcanic particles colliding together to generate electricity. Taking information from article on Forbes co-written by Ethan Siegel and group Starts With a Bang, each stroke of volcanic lightning is approximately the equivalent of 10^20 electrons interacting with one another. The article goes on to acknowledge that the potential for volcanic thunderstorms increases with higher temperature and higher violence during the eruption. The ions in the air, given their different masses, temperatures, and charges, facilitates ion separation and manifests in conducting electricity visibly recognized as a lighting strike.

Phenomena in nature demonstrate how light can be equally a expression of grace and wonder as much as it can be awesome and terrifying. Aside from the impressive (light)ning display, the circumstances surrounding the volcanic eruption involve displacement of many indigenous, rural farmers in Luzon as well as spreading air pollution and light obstruction in more metropolitan areas.