Transmission line model - an idealisation or reality

Assuming that the representation of the lightning return stroke as a current pulse propagating along a transmission line is valid, the effects of different transmission line parameters on the remote electric fields are investigated. The transmission line parameters that are incorporated into the study are the spatial variation of channel inductance and capacitance, channel resistance and its temporal variation, and the finite conductance of the channel. The results show that the introduction of the time varying channel resistance and the finite conductance will change the predictions of the model in such a direction that they will come closer to experimental observations.