Shock Walk

10 responses to “Shock Walk”

1. 

   The Rocketeer

   Dec 27, 2006 at 9:27 pm

   That’s surreal looking. Nice catch… You have a knack for being in the right place at the right time and with your camera on the right settings. How do you do that?

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2. 

   !MimosaMicheMichelle!

   Dec 27, 2006 at 9:33 pm

   Last summer, during a thunderstorm with great winds, there were multitudes of flashes on the trees behind my bedroom. I called 911, and was told to call Hydro-Québec which I did. HQ took care of the problem a few days later by cutting a large portion of the branches of a large tree behind the small tree in front of my window. They called at that time and explained that the flashes would occur again because it is the branches touching the wire or rather the wire touching the long branches that cause the flash. The company has specific procedures for cutting tree branches to keep them healthy and they had no choice but to cut down several large, very long and tall branches. Our view is no longer very green and that is unfortunate but it was unavoidable.

   Imagine if you walked here at night and the wires fell so low as to touch your body! You would have gone in a flash!

   Seen on your photo stream. (?)

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3. 

   drona

   Dec 27, 2006 at 10:17 pm

   Good capture Steve! I did hear a couple of strange roars myself…also coincided with momentary lapses in power, but the power was right back, so I don’t think it was a felled line.

   About NOx, hard to get N involved from the air. Probably more a C, Fe, or H compound if air, trees or wire were involved! 🙂

   Mimosa: I didn’t know that 911 is used for emergencies in Canada too…

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4. 

   !MimosaMicheMichelle!

   Dec 27, 2006 at 10:40 pm

   Drona, of course! Since many years! Respectfully, so many people think that the U.S. is unique in many ways. True, you are leaders in many things but we are too. And we keep up with all the newest ideas. I am sure that the 911 or an equivalent number is in function in many parts of the world. Who started it anyway?

   Seen in my recent comments. (?)

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5. 

   Leino88

   Dec 28, 2006 at 3:41 am

   I think the red gases are the small pair of birds…. at least what’s left of them, 1/3 of a sec after the surge.
   😛

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6. 

   !MimosaMicheMichelle!

   Dec 28, 2006 at 7:43 am

   Oh, poor birds!*!*!*!

   Actually, I was explained that birds can remain anytime on the wires because they cannot get electrocuted since they are only on the wire whereas the tree branches are attached to the tree on the ground. The sparks are only when the wires and the tree branches touch each other. Same reason for not letting a ladder or pole touch a wire. The electricity would be conducted though a person to the ground.

   And why am I saying this where people with a good science background visit? You could all explain it better than me!

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7. 

   Leino88

   Dec 29, 2006 at 4:32 am

   i know the birds aren’t grounded, hence they’re safe…. kinda…
   but it’s fun to imagine the red vapors identifying them as cardinals.
   😛

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8. 

   !MimosaMicheMichelle!

   Dec 29, 2006 at 5:13 am

   If I had my way, I would have cardinals all around me with their many and varied songs. We had several on the street where I was recently living. The idea of seeing them vapourize from an electric shock though…that is a bleak image. Like a miniature version of Steve’s red rocket shooting off from the wires!

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9. 

   jurvetson

   Dec 30, 2006 at 5:03 am

   Oh, I think a bird would have fried on that wire, if it was near the action. There is no branch involved here. The three-phase power lines themselves got too close together, and arced across the air (which should produce some toxic gases, bluish ozone and a bunch of NOx gases).

   It reminds me of some rooftop solar concentrator prototypes. If a bird flew up near the focal point, it would just vaporize…. I can imagine the installation crew shooting rubber bands up there to see them go poof.

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10. 

    !MimosaMicheMichelle!

    Dec 31, 2006 at 6:14 am

    Merci. I am always glad to learn more.

    I still think no one should get too close…

    Seen on your photo stream. (?)

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