This book about lightning summarizes the essence of physics and effects of lightning in a non-technical manner and provides an up-to-date description of the phenomenon of lightning in simple language. Starting with the myths related to lightning, the reader is introduced to the mechanism of lightning flashes and their interactions with humans, human-made systems and Earth’s environment. Most of the available books on lightning are written for the experts in the field and there is a need for a book that introduces the undergraduate and beginning post graduate students to the subject of lightning and prepares them for more advanced books meant for the experts. This introductory book, which is based on a series of lectures given to undergraduate and postgraduate students in electrical engineering, is intended to fill this need. Tailored to the needs of university students who plan to study electrical engineering, meteorology, environmental or basic physics, it is also a valuable reference resource for laymen who are interested in knowing more on this phenomenon.
Author(s): Vernon Cooray (auth.)
Edition: 1
Publisher: Springer Netherlands
Year: 2015
Language: English
Pages: 386
Tags: Atmospheric Sciences; Meteorology; Geophysics and Environmental Physics
Front Matter....Pages i-xv
Lightning and Humans: The Early Days....Pages 1-5
Basic Physics of Electrical Discharges....Pages 7-27
Basic Electromagnetic Theory with Special Attention to Lightning Electromagnetics....Pages 29-58
Earth’s Atmosphere and Its Electrical Characteristics....Pages 59-70
Formation of Thunderclouds....Pages 71-77
Charge Generation in Thunderclouds and Different Forms of Lightning Flashes....Pages 79-89
Mechanism of Lightning Flashes....Pages 91-116
Electric Currents in Lightning Flashes....Pages 117-133
Electromagnetic Fields of Lightning Flashes....Pages 135-165
The Return Stroke – How to Model It....Pages 167-185
Experimental Data and Theories on Return Stroke Speed....Pages 187-202
Propagation Effects Caused by Finitely Conducting Ground on Lightning Return Stroke Electromagnetic Fields....Pages 203-215
Localization of Lightning Flashes....Pages 217-231
Potential of a Cloud and Its Relationship to Charge Distribution on Stepped Leader and Dart Leader Channels....Pages 233-245
Direct and Indirect Effects of Lightning Flashes....Pages 247-280
Interaction of Lightning Flashes with Humans....Pages 281-300
Basic Principles of Lightning Protection....Pages 301-330
Advanced Procedures to Estimate the Point of Location of Lightning Flashes on a Grounded Structure....Pages 331-340
Interaction of Lightning Flashes with the Earth’s Atmosphere....Pages 341-358
Unusual Forms of Lightning Flashes....Pages 359-369
Back Matter....Pages 371-386
