The Submicrosecond Structure of Lightning Radiation Fields
Abstract
Tne EM fields radiated by the preliminary cloud breakdown, leader steps, and the return strokes in cloud-to-ground lightning all exhibit large submicrosecond variations. Values of the maximum dE/dt turning return strokes range from 7 to 76 V/m/microsec, when range-normalized to 100 km, with a mean and standard deviation of 33 + or - 14 V/m/microsec. If this return stroke field is produced by a single current pulse propagating upward at a speed of 10 to the 8th microsec, then the above values of dE/dt imply that the maximum dI/dt ranges from 35 to 355 kA/microsec with a mean of 154 + or - 70 kA/microsec. Leader steps just above the ground and the fast components of large cloud pulses produce dE/dt signatures that are often surprisingly similar to those from return strokes.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 1983
- Accession Number
- ADP002215
Entities
Organizations
- University of Arizona