The Problem of Control Actions on the Lightning Discharge

Abstract

The specificity of the development of a counter discharge from a grounded electrode in the field of a negative stepped lightning leader has been established. It is shown that high-voltage control pulses are effective only when acting directly on a counter leader. Analytical expressions are derived for estimating the conditions for the start of the counter discharge directly in the streamer form, which bypasses the stage of nonstationary ultra corona, and also for determining the amplitude of the control pulse capable of exciting an upward lightning from an electrode of a given height in the atmosphere free from the ultra corona charge. The parameters of the control voltage pulse for the excitation of a trigger lightning in a real thunderstorm situation are determined by numerical simulation. A sharp decrease in the effectiveness of control actions with the duration of a few microseconds is established. It is experimentally proven that the consequences of the impact of such pulses is a delay in the formation of a counter leader, but not in any way its stimulation. The origin of the decrease in the efficiency of lightning rods of early streamer initiation in comparison with traditional ones of the same height is established.