Radio Emission Reveals Inner Meter-Scale Structure of Negative Lightning Leader Steps.

Clicks: 279
ID: 101952
2020
We use the Low Frequency Array (LOFAR) to probe the dynamics of the stepping process of negatively charged plasma channels (negative leaders) in a lightning discharge. We observe that at each step of a leader, multiple pulses of vhf (30-80 MHz) radiation are emitted in short-duration bursts (<10  μs). This is evidence for streamer formation during corona flashes that occur with each leader step, which has not been observed before in natural lightning and it could help explain x-ray emission from lightning leaders, as x rays from laboratory leaders tend to be associated with corona flashes. Surprisingly, we find that the stepping length is very similar to what was observed near the ground, however with a stepping time that is considerably larger, which as yet is not understood. These results will help to improve lightning propagation models, and eventually lightning protection models.
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Authors Hare, B M;Scholten, O;Dwyer, J;Ebert, U;Nijdam, S;Bonardi, A;Buitink, S;Corstanje, A;Falcke, H;Huege, T;Hörandel, J R;Krampah, G K;Mitra, P;Mulrey, K;Neijzen, B;Nelles, A;Pandya, H;Rachen, J P;Rossetto, L;Trinh, T N G;Ter Veen, S;Winchen, T;
Journal physical review letters
Year 2020
DOI 10.1103/PhysRevLett.124.105101
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