A report stating that a new substance whose presence on Earth has not been confirmed has been produced by lightning – GIGAZINE

Lightning is a relatively familiar natural phenomenon.DiscoverIt is also a phenomenon that scientific discoveries are still endless. Newly found at the site of a lightning strike in a treeSaybolite (fulgurate)A research paper has been published stating that an entirely new mineral group may have been found that fills the gap between materials in the universe and minerals on Earth.

Methods for reducing phosphates by high-energy events | Earth and Environment Communications
https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-023-00736-2

A geologist at the University of South Florida discovers a new phosphorus after a lightning strike in New Port Richey
https://www.usf.edu/news/2023/usf-geoscientist-discovers-new-phosphorus-material-after-new-port-richey-lightning-strike.aspx

Lightning struck a tree and we got a brand new phosphorous mineral IFLScience
https://www.iflscience.com/lightning-struck-a-tree-and-we-got-a-new-phosphorus-mineral-68429

Below is a photo of fulgurite, a ‘fossil of lightning’, recovered from the site of a lightning strike in Florida by Matthew Pasek, an earth scientist at the University of South Florida. Fulgurite was a hollow tube of vitreous material with a diameter of 2 cm and a length of 7 cm.

This fulgurite was found in a private home in Newport Richey, Florida. The owner found the mineral in the path of lightning, realized that it was valuable, and decided to sell it. Mr. Pasek, who bought it, analyzed the minerals with Luca Bindi, a crystallographer at the University of Florence, Italy.

Fulgurite itself is a rare mineral, but analysis by Pasek et al.’s research team revealed that a unique material similar to calcium phosphite (CaHPO3) is hidden in this fulgurite.

Mr. Pasek with Fulgurite.

Written by Matthew Pasek/University of South Florida

The constituent elements of this substance such as phosphorus and calcium are common, so at first glance it seems that they are not so rare.However, according to the research team, phosphorus minerals are in natureoxidation numberOnly “+5” and “-1” are found, and it seems that this time the oxidation number “+3” is never found in natural minerals.

‘I have never seen this naturally present on earth,’ Mr. Pasek said of the substance, ‘and nothing quite like it, though I can find similar minerals in meteorites and in outer space. ”

The paper’s co-author, Tian Feng of the University of South Florida, heated a sample to 1,000 degrees to reproduce the material in fulgurite, but was unable to make it in the lab. This indicates that very specific conditions and timing must be met to obtain the “+3” oxidation number of metallic phosphorus. The research team also tried to add the iron and silicon found in fulgurite, but the results did not change.

The research team said that in humid climates such as Florida, iron often accumulates in the roots of trees, and that the material in fulgurite contains trace amounts of iron, and it is believed that lightning strikes burn carbon in trees and iron that accumulates in tree roots.

Since the material found this time is very similar to that found in meteorites, it is expected to provide clues about the origin of meteorites. Also, since this was found on Earth, the movement of phosphorus on Earthphosphorus circulationIt has the potential to influence our knowledge of life on Earth and provides a key to unlocking the history of life on Earth.

According to Feng, the researchers believe that “the reduction of phosphates caused by lightning was widespread in the early Earth.” There are still unresolved questions about this process, but the discovery indicates that phosphorus can exist in a form that was not previously expected, which indicates the development of life on early Earth. It could have played an important role in

Mr Pasek and Mr Bindi plan to conduct further investigations in the future to determine if the material found this time can be officially declared a new mineral.