2015/04/25 by B. E. Carlson, C. Liang, P. Bitzer +1 · 11 citations
Materials Science · Physics and Astronomy · #Channel (broadcasting) #Extension (predicate logic) #High voltage insulation and dielectric phenomena #Lightning (connector) #Lightning and Electromagnetic Phenomena #Orientation (vector space) #Pulse (music) #Time domain #physics.space-ph
paper · pdf · open access · doi:10.1002/2014jd022765
published in Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres 120(11), 5316-5333 (American Geophysical Union)
openalex publication_date 2015/04/25 · arxiv created 2016/05/30 · arxiv updated 2016/05/31 · openalex created_date 2016/06/24 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/06
Lightning discharge is a complicated process with relevant physical scales spanning many orders of magnitude. In an effort to understand the electrodynamics of lightning and connect physical properties of the channel to observed behavior, we construct a simulation of charge and current flow on a narrow conducting channel embedded in three-dimensional space with the time domain electric field integral equation, the method of moments, and the thin-wire approximation. The method includes approximate treatment of resistance evolution due to lightning channel heating and the corona sheath of charge surrounding the lightning channel. Focusing our attention on preliminary breakdown in natural lightning by simulating stepwise channel extension with a simplified geometry, our simulation reproduces the broad features observed in data collected with the Huntsville Alabama Marx Meter Array. Some deviations in pulse shape details are evident, suggesting future work focusing on the detailed properties of the stepping mechanism. KEY POINTS: Preliminary breakdown pulses can be reproduced by simulated channel extension Channel heating and corona sheath formation are crucial to proper pulse shape Extension processes and channel orientation significantly affect observations.