Modeling the Stepping Process of Negative Lightning Stepped Leaders
A physical model based on the mechanism observed in experimental investigations is introduced to describe the formation of negative leader steps. Starting with a small length of a space leader located at the periphery of the negative streamer system of the stepped leader, the model simulates the gro...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2017-12-01
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| Series: | Atmosphere |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/8/12/245 |
| _version_ | 1818497921000144896 |
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| author | Vernon Cooray Liliana Arevalo |
| author_facet | Vernon Cooray Liliana Arevalo |
| author_sort | Vernon Cooray |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | A physical model based on the mechanism observed in experimental investigations is introduced to describe the formation of negative leader steps. Starting with a small length of a space leader located at the periphery of the negative streamer system of the stepped leader, the model simulates the growth and the subsequent formation of the leader step. Based on the model, the step length, the step forming time, and the propagation speed of stepped leaders as a function of the prospective return stroke peak current are estimated. The results show that the step length and the leader speed increase with increasing prospective return stroke current. The results also show that the speed of the stepped leader increases as it approaches the ground. For prospective return stroke currents in the range of 15 kA–60 kA, the step lengths lie within the range 5 m–100 m, the step forming times lie within the range 10 μs–250 μs, and the leader speed lies within the range 105 m/s −1.5 × 106 m/s. The results obtained are in reasonable agreement with the experimental observations. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-10T18:51:29Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-22b06d4b86ae45699891f63bc987a28f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4433 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-10T18:51:29Z |
| publishDate | 2017-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Atmosphere |
| spelling | doaj.art-22b06d4b86ae45699891f63bc987a28f2022-12-22T01:37:18ZengMDPI AGAtmosphere2073-44332017-12-0181224510.3390/atmos8120245atmos8120245Modeling the Stepping Process of Negative Lightning Stepped LeadersVernon Cooray0Liliana Arevalo1Department of Engineering Sciences, Uppsala University, 75121 Uppsala, SwedenDepartment of Engineering Sciences, Uppsala University, 75121 Uppsala, SwedenA physical model based on the mechanism observed in experimental investigations is introduced to describe the formation of negative leader steps. Starting with a small length of a space leader located at the periphery of the negative streamer system of the stepped leader, the model simulates the growth and the subsequent formation of the leader step. Based on the model, the step length, the step forming time, and the propagation speed of stepped leaders as a function of the prospective return stroke peak current are estimated. The results show that the step length and the leader speed increase with increasing prospective return stroke current. The results also show that the speed of the stepped leader increases as it approaches the ground. For prospective return stroke currents in the range of 15 kA–60 kA, the step lengths lie within the range 5 m–100 m, the step forming times lie within the range 10 μs–250 μs, and the leader speed lies within the range 105 m/s −1.5 × 106 m/s. The results obtained are in reasonable agreement with the experimental observations.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/8/12/245lightningstepped leaderspace leaderspace stem |
| spellingShingle | Vernon Cooray Liliana Arevalo Modeling the Stepping Process of Negative Lightning Stepped Leaders Atmosphere lightning stepped leader space leader space stem |
| title | Modeling the Stepping Process of Negative Lightning Stepped Leaders |
| title_full | Modeling the Stepping Process of Negative Lightning Stepped Leaders |
| title_fullStr | Modeling the Stepping Process of Negative Lightning Stepped Leaders |
| title_full_unstemmed | Modeling the Stepping Process of Negative Lightning Stepped Leaders |
| title_short | Modeling the Stepping Process of Negative Lightning Stepped Leaders |
| title_sort | modeling the stepping process of negative lightning stepped leaders |
| topic | lightning stepped leader space leader space stem |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/8/12/245 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT vernoncooray modelingthesteppingprocessofnegativelightningsteppedleaders AT lilianaarevalo modelingthesteppingprocessofnegativelightningsteppedleaders |