Stephan, Karl D.Hernandez Guerrero, Jose M.2020-04-212020-04-212017-12Stephan, K. D., & Hernandez Guerrero, J. M. (2017). Self-excited electrostatic pendulum showing electrohydrodynamic-force-induced oscillation. Journal of Applied Physics, 122(24), pp. 1-8.0021-8979https://hdl.handle.net/10877/9663The electrohydrodynamic (EHD) effect ("ion wind") associated with corona discharges in air has been extensively investigated and modeled. We present a simple experiment that shows how both the magnitude and direction of EHD forces can change in such a way as to impart energy continuously to an oscillating electrostatic pendulum. The amplitude of oscillations of an electrostatic pendulum subject to EHD forces can grow approximately exponentially over a period of minutes, and we describe a qualitative theory to account for this effect, along with implications of these experiments for theories of ball lightning.Text9 pages1 file (.pdf)enpendulumselectrostatic apparatus and applianceselectrohydrodynamicsoscillationscorona dischargeball lightningIngram School of EngineeringArticle© 2017 The Author(s).https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5003010