Initiation of spark discharges between an artificial thunderstorm cell and the ground by hydrometeor groups

Abstract

The results of experimental simulation of the influence of hydrometeor groups on the probability of initiation of spark channel discharges between an artificial thunderstorm cell of negative or positive polarity and the ground were presented. It has been discovered that there is a significant influence of the kind of hydrometeors and the method of their combination into a group on the initiation and stimulation of sparkdischarge propagation from an artificial thunderstorm cell. It has been revealed that injection of the groups of plate-rhombus hydrometeors sharply increases the probability of initiation of channel discharge from a negatively charged artificial cell. It has been established that volume-cylinder hydrometeors display an analogous behavior for a positively charged cell. It has been found that the simulation of accelerated formation of the spark discharge between neighboring hydrometeors in the group is a necessary condition for the initiation and stimulation of the channel-discharge propagation between the cloud and the ground. It has been revealed that a dielectric string or dielectric tape can be used for such purposes. A multifactor physical picture of hydrometeor influence on the initiation and stimulation of the spark channel discharge between an artificial thunderstorm cell and the ground has been proposed. This may result in promising methods of artificial initiation of lightning using arrays of model hydrometeors.