Evidence for nanoparticles in microwave-generated fireballs observed by synchrotron x-ray scattering

The small-angle x-ray scattering method has been applied to study fireballs ejected into the air from molten hot spots in borosilicate glass by localized microwaves [V. Dikhtyar and E. Jerby, Phys. Rev. Lett. 96 045002 (2006)10.1103/PhysRevLett.96.045002]. The fireball's particle size distribution, density, and decay rate in atmospheric pressure were measured. The results show that the fireballs contain particles with a mean size of approximately 50 nm with average number densities on the order of approximately 10(9). Hence, fireballs can be considered as a dusty plasma which consists of an ensemble of charged nanoparticles in the plasma volume. This finding is likened to the ball-lightning phenomenon explained by the formation of an oxidizing particle network liberated by lightning striking the ground [J. Abrahamson and J. Dinniss, Nature (London) 403, 519 (2000)10.1038/35000525].