Scribd
Upload
92 views

3.mechanism of Lightning Strokes

The mechanism of lightning strokes involves three main stages: 1. Charge separation occurs in thunderclouds from collisions between graupel and ice crystals, forming layers of positive and negative charge. 2. A stepped leader forms when the negative charge at the bottom of the cloud overcomes the air's resistance and moves towards the ground. 3. A return stroke occurs when a region of positive ions moves up from the ground to meet the stepped leader, forming an intense wave of positive charge traveling back up into the cloud.

Uploaded by

mustafa albayati
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
92 views

3.mechanism of Lightning Strokes

The mechanism of lightning strokes involves three main stages: 1. Charge separation occurs in thunderclouds from collisions between graupel and ice crystals, forming layers of positive and negative charge. 2. A stepped leader forms when the negative charge at the bottom of the cloud overcomes the air's resistance and moves towards the ground. 3. A return stroke occurs when a region of positive ions moves up from the ground to meet the stepped leader, forming an intense wave of positive charge traveling back up into the cloud.

Uploaded by

mustafa albayati
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 4

MECHANISM OF LIGHTNING STROKES

• Charge separation : Charge layers in the cloud are formed by


the transfer of positive ions from warmer graupel to colder ice
crystal when they collide with each other.
• Stepped leader: When the negative charge near the bottom of
the cloud is large enough to overcome the air's resistance, a
stepped leader forms.
• Return stroke :A region of positive ions move from the
ground toward this charge, which then forms a return stroke
into the cloud.
• Dart leader: Not all of the first stroke neutralizes the
negatively charged ions and results in another leader in 1/10 of
a second
MECHANISM OF LIGHTNING STROKES

Current begins
Electrons begin the return stroke,
zigzagging an intense wave
downward in a of positive
forked pattern. As the leader and
charge traveling
This is the streamer come together,
As the stepped leader upward about
“stepped leader.” nears the ground, it
a powerful electrical
60,000 miles per
current begins flowing.
draws a streamer of second.
positive charge upward.

MElec-Ch6 - 2
RETURN STROKES
CHARACTERISTICS OF LIGHTNING
STROKES
 Amplitude of the currents
 Rate of rise
 Probability of distribution of the above
 Wave shapes of the lightning voltages & currents
 Time to peak value & its rate of rise
 Specification:
 peak amplitude-5000kv in a transmission line
 Front time -2 to 10 microseconds
 Time – 20 to 100 microseconds
 Rate of rise of voltage – 1Mv/ microseconds

You might also like