The earthquake that has strongly shook southern Mexico, has been accompanied by some unusual lights in the sky. Many Internet users have rushed to register them, overwhelmed by how peculiar they are and the surprise of not having seen them before. Each one, in the face of ignorance, has attributed it to some cause. There have also been jokes about it, such as "Tom Cruise already said what they were in the war of the worlds." Others have associated it with HAARP, and even some with power outages or sparks in the city.
The truth is that this phenomenon, although unusual, is closely related to the great earthquake that has been suffered in the area. For this reason, so many people have been able to witness it, since it has been seen from many kilometers around. This phenomenon has also been documented for hundreds of years. The term by which these lights are known is "triboluminescence." Very difficult to know what it is, considering that it can be witnessed very rarely.
Triboluminescence. The strange lights in the sky
Triboluminescence is the light emission after deformation or fracture mechanical or thermal way. The great pressure and tension caused by the movement of tectonic plates during the earthquake, has been the main culprit. That is why it could be observable from before and even after the earthquake.
Also known as "Earthquake lights", These flashes occur because slippage in the cracks of the plates produce large electrical charges. According to a study conducted by researchers at Rutgers University, United States. However, geologists also detail that although these discharges exist, they do not always end up being translated into flashes of light whenever there is an earthquake. In addition, the greater the magnitude, especially from 5, the more likely they are to occur.
Experts in the field also assure that although interpreting these light signals would not prevent an earthquake, identifying them would help a lot to prevent and anticipate one to protect yourself.
Did you also know that there are more unusual types of lights in the sky?