Initiation and propagation of cloud-to-ground lightning observed with a high-speed video camera.

ABSTRACT: Complete evolution of a lightning discharge, from its initiation at an altitude of about 4 km to its ground attachment, was optically observed for the first time at the Lightning Observatory in Gainesville, Florida. The discharge developed during the late stage of a cloud flash and was initiated in a decayed branch of the latter. The initial channel section was intermittently illuminated for over 100 ms, until a bidirectionally extending channel (leader) was formed. During the bidirectional leader extension, the negative end exhibited optical and radio-frequency electromagnetic features expected for negative cloud-to-ground strokes developing in virgin air, while the positive end most of the time appeared to be inactive or showed intermittent channel luminosity enhancements. The developmen

SUBMITTER: Tran MD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5175180 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature