Is this plasma (picture in thread)

[Kidphysics]

http://postimg.org/image/d530nwobf/

those are plasma arcs emitting from the gun no? Ionized air?

 

[Simon Bridge]

Looks like a normal muzzle-flash to me.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muzzle_flash

 

[Danger]

Agreed. While I'm not sure about the colour reproduction, it certainly looks like any normal muzzle flash for a low-power round such as a 9mm or a 40 Short and Weak.

 

[davenn]

http://postimg.org/image/d530nwobf/

those are plasma arcs emitting from the gun no? Ionized air?

no ... those fine trails are from hot particles of the charge power used ... (cordite - gunpowder- what ever is used these days) being ejected from the barrel after the round has left the barrel

Dave

 

[Kidphysics]

no ... those fine trails are from hot particles of the charge power used ... (cordite - gunpowder- what ever is used these days) being ejected from the barrel after the round has left the barrel

Dave

So its hot particles are radiating that priduces the trail

 

[Danger]

So its hot particles are radiating that priduces the trail

Right. The big ball right in front of the muzzle is hot gas from the explosion. The little sparkly streaks are powder that is still burning. All firearms eject the bullet before all of the propellant is consumed. Some suppressed versions disguise that by keeping the flash inside a secondary sleeve beyond the barrel, but they all do it.
The reason that I speculated a weak calibre for the picture is that it seems to be a pretty tame output. My .44 magnum Super Blackhawk laid out a flash almost half a metre long. Conversely, my 7.65mm FN27 was barely noticeable, even in a dark environment, and that was with hot-loaded military steel-jacket ammo. The "overage" is usually proportional to the power of the round.

 

[Simon Bridge]

The jagged trajectories of the hot material does resemble a lightning stroke or the trails in a plasma discharge globe but they are not. I don't think there is enough energy in the flash to do that and, anyway, they don't arc to anything.

Some people increase the effect of the muzzleflash using phosphorous concoctions - in those you get even bigger jagged trails with no suggestion that these are somehow miniature lightning.

There are lots of pic of regular muzzle-flashes online - go look - this one is about average.
But it is still a cool shot ;)

 

[Danger]

Some people increase the effect of the muzzleflash using phosphorous concoctions

That is frequently done with the blanks in movie guns.