Stepped Leader Progression and Speed Evolution in a Thunderstorm: Theoretical Model
This paper presents a theoretical model to describe the progression of leading (falling) lightnings in storms (stepped leaders). Stepped leaders move down from the thundercloud base to the encounter point with an upward streamer. First, the existing models, related to the advance of leading lightnin...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2019-06-01
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| Series: | Energies |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/12/13/2507 |
| _version_ | 1798024368927801344 |
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| author | Aníbal Seminario-García Cristina González-Morán Pablo Arboleya |
| author_facet | Aníbal Seminario-García Cristina González-Morán Pablo Arboleya |
| author_sort | Aníbal Seminario-García |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This paper presents a theoretical model to describe the progression of leading (falling) lightnings in storms (stepped leaders). Stepped leaders move down from the thundercloud base to the encounter point with an upward streamer. First, the existing models, related to the advance of leading lightnings, are analyzed. Then, a novel theory is presented. The proposed model describes both the leader progression and speed. It aims at explaining the leader progression as a succession of several steps, or branches, that form the well-known tree-like shape. The speed of advance per step is described as a function of various parameters: the charge concentration surface diameter and the step length, among others. The derived formulas include two new parameter named <inline-formula> <math display="inline"> <semantics> <mrow> <mo>(</mo> <mi>χ</mi> <mo>)</mo> </mrow> </semantics> </math> </inline-formula> and <i>G</i>. <inline-formula> <math display="inline"> <semantics> <mi>χ</mi> </semantics> </math> </inline-formula> is the ratio between the guide beam length <inline-formula> <math display="inline"> <semantics> <mrow> <mo>(</mo> <mi>L</mi> <mo>)</mo> </mrow> </semantics> </math> </inline-formula> and the diameter of the circle, inside the cloud, where the charges are concentrated <inline-formula> <math display="inline"> <semantics> <mrow> <mo>(</mo> <mi>D</mi> <mo>)</mo> </mrow> </semantics> </math> </inline-formula>. <i>G</i> relates density of charges, as explained herein. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T18:01:21Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c677a03318a64f0fabd547801d16b6e3 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1996-1073 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T18:01:21Z |
| publishDate | 2019-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Energies |
| spelling | doaj.art-c677a03318a64f0fabd547801d16b6e32022-12-22T04:10:28ZengMDPI AGEnergies1996-10732019-06-011213250710.3390/en12132507en12132507Stepped Leader Progression and Speed Evolution in a Thunderstorm: Theoretical ModelAníbal Seminario-García0Cristina González-Morán1Pablo Arboleya2Department of Material Science, University of Oviedo, 33204 Gijón, SpainLEMUR Group, Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Oviedo, 33204 Gijón, SpainLEMUR Group, Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Oviedo, 33204 Gijón, SpainThis paper presents a theoretical model to describe the progression of leading (falling) lightnings in storms (stepped leaders). Stepped leaders move down from the thundercloud base to the encounter point with an upward streamer. First, the existing models, related to the advance of leading lightnings, are analyzed. Then, a novel theory is presented. The proposed model describes both the leader progression and speed. It aims at explaining the leader progression as a succession of several steps, or branches, that form the well-known tree-like shape. The speed of advance per step is described as a function of various parameters: the charge concentration surface diameter and the step length, among others. The derived formulas include two new parameter named <inline-formula> <math display="inline"> <semantics> <mrow> <mo>(</mo> <mi>χ</mi> <mo>)</mo> </mrow> </semantics> </math> </inline-formula> and <i>G</i>. <inline-formula> <math display="inline"> <semantics> <mi>χ</mi> </semantics> </math> </inline-formula> is the ratio between the guide beam length <inline-formula> <math display="inline"> <semantics> <mrow> <mo>(</mo> <mi>L</mi> <mo>)</mo> </mrow> </semantics> </math> </inline-formula> and the diameter of the circle, inside the cloud, where the charges are concentrated <inline-formula> <math display="inline"> <semantics> <mrow> <mo>(</mo> <mi>D</mi> <mo>)</mo> </mrow> </semantics> </math> </inline-formula>. <i>G</i> relates density of charges, as explained herein.https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/12/13/2507electric fieldleader progression modelstepped leaderthunderstorm |
| spellingShingle | Aníbal Seminario-García Cristina González-Morán Pablo Arboleya Stepped Leader Progression and Speed Evolution in a Thunderstorm: Theoretical Model Energies electric field leader progression model stepped leader thunderstorm |
| title | Stepped Leader Progression and Speed Evolution in a Thunderstorm: Theoretical Model |
| title_full | Stepped Leader Progression and Speed Evolution in a Thunderstorm: Theoretical Model |
| title_fullStr | Stepped Leader Progression and Speed Evolution in a Thunderstorm: Theoretical Model |
| title_full_unstemmed | Stepped Leader Progression and Speed Evolution in a Thunderstorm: Theoretical Model |
| title_short | Stepped Leader Progression and Speed Evolution in a Thunderstorm: Theoretical Model |
| title_sort | stepped leader progression and speed evolution in a thunderstorm theoretical model |
| topic | electric field leader progression model stepped leader thunderstorm |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/12/13/2507 |
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