Fractions of a second before the main boom, witnesses often hear a sharp clicking or hissing sound (the "vitaphone" effect). This is the sound of upward streamers—electrical channels reaching up from the ground to meet the downward leader.
The electrical discharge breaks oxygen molecules apart, creating a sharp, metallic, "clean" scent (ozone) and nitrogen oxides. bliskie_uderzenie_pioruna_tylko_audio_near_ligh...
Standard thunder rumbles because you are hearing the sound waves from a long lightning channel reaching you at different times. In a near-field strike (within 100 meters), there is no time for the sound to "unfold." Fractions of a second before the main boom,
The massive electromagnetic pulse (EMP) from the strike can induce current directly into the microphone cables, causing a hum or even frying the recording device's internal circuits. 4. The "Deep" Psychological Impact Standard thunder rumbles because you are hearing the
Capturing a "clean" near-field strike is notoriously difficult for field recordists:
The instantaneous Sound Pressure Level (SPL) can exceed