The World

Volcanic Lightning

When Alaska’s Mount Redoubt erupted in March, researchers found a trove of information to help them understand what causes volcanic lightning.

Scientists have long been puzzled as to why when volcanoes erupt, they’re often accompanied by lightning. When Alaska’s Mount Redoubt began rumbling, researchers quickly moved to install sensors to track radio signals created by lightning flashes. As Spectrum Radio’s Prachi Patel reports, they’ve been surprised by some of the results.