Using adobe after effects, I created 3 distinct color bursts. The first is based on electricity, the second on fire, and the third is just a mixture of interesting colors. I created this effect by making a layer of fractal noise and animating it downwards using masks. After I had a linear animation of moving noise, I used the polar coordinates tool to curve it into a circle, and make it appear as if it is blasting outwards. I duplicated the base blast several times, adding glass effects, bulge effects, and unsharp masks for more details within the blast. The color was added using the color vibrance plug-in. The particles were created using the pixel polly effect.

Still of each explostion: