Evolution Characteristics of Electromagnetic Power Radiated in Lightning Discharge Processes

Area of Science:

• Atmospheric physics
• Electromagnetism
• Spectroscopy

Background:

• Cloud-to-ground lightning is a significant atmospheric electrical phenomenon.
• Understanding lightning discharge processes is crucial for safety and energy research.
• Previous studies have characterized lightning parameters but lacked integrated spectral and electric field analysis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To calculate key physical parameters of lightning discharge channels.
• To investigate the correlations between discharge characteristics and electromagnetic radiation.
• To explore the influence of pre-stroke conditions on lightning channel properties.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a slit-less spectrograph to capture lightning spectra.
• Integrated spectral data with synchronous electric field measurements.
• Calculated parameters including temperature, conductivity, current peak, and luminance.

Main Results:

• Derived physical parameters within established reference ranges.
• Observed a positive correlation between pre-stroke cutoff time and channel luminance/electromagnetic power.
• Found that increased conductivity and electric field peaks lead to higher currents and radiated power.

Conclusions:

• Lightning discharge characteristics are significantly influenced by pre-stroke conditions.
• The study provides a method for quantifying optical and electromagnetic energy radiated by lightning.
• Results offer valuable data for lightning physics and modeling.