Author_Institution :
Dept. of Electr. Eng., Florida Univ., Gainesville, FL, USA
Abstract :
The present understanding of natural lightning is reviewed. Research on lightning has been motivated, in part, by the need to protect advanced ground-based and airborne systems that utilize low voltage, solid-state electronics; by the desire to prevent spectacular accidents, such as occurred in 1969 during the launch of Apollo 12 and in 1987 during the launch of Atlas-Centaur 67; and by the desire to elucidate the physics of one of nature´s most impressive phenomena. The author discusses lightning sources, natural lightning, negative and positive cloud-to-ground lightning, upward lightning, cloud discharges, top-of-the cloud and clear air lightning, lightning avoidance and lightning protection
Keywords :
lightning; lightning protection; airborne systems; clear air lightning; cloud discharges; ground-based systems; lightning avoidance; lightning protection; lightning sources; low voltage solid-state electronics; natural lightning; negative cloud-to-ground lightning; positive cloud-to-ground lightning; top-of-the cloud lightning; upward lightning; Accidents; Charge measurement; Clouds; Current measurement; Electric variables measurement; Lightning; Modems; Physics; Solid state circuits; Space vehicles;
