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The gap-width distribution in lightning flashes

Die Verteilung der Unterbrechungsdauer bei Blitzen

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Summary

At high frequencies of the order of 10 MHz or more gaps in the noise radiation from lightning discharges follow a different distribution law dependent on whether or not the radiation emanates from a cloud or a ground flash. A detailed investigation has shown that the gap-width distribution for cloud flashes can be expressed byn(w) c = A exp (−0.575w) while the corresponding expression for ground flashes isn(w) g = B exp (−0.102w), wheren(w) c andn(w) g are the number of gaps occurring for a particular gap-widthw with cloud respectively ground flashes. The constantsA andB depend merely on the total number of flashes under consideration. For a given number of thunderstorms the two distribution laws intersect at a fairly well defined value ofw=11 ms. Gap-widths greater than this value can be attributed to ground strokes while shorter gaps seem to be connected with the noise radiated from cloud discharges. Based on this “critical” gap-width, ground flash counters have been designed that show good discrimination against cloud flashes.

Zusammenfassung

Die elektromagnetische Störstrahlung von Blitzentladungen zeigt bei hohen Frequenzen von 10 MHz oder mehr verschiedene Verteilungsfunktionen der Unterbrechungen, je nachdem, ob die Strahlung von einem Boden- oder einem Wolkenblitz herrührt. Eine genauere Untersuchung zeigt, daß die Verteilung der Unterbrechungsdauer bei Wolkenblitzen einer Funktionn(w) c =A exp (−0.575w) und bei Bodenblitzen der Funktionn(w) g =B exp (−0.102w) entspricht, wobein(w) c undn(w) g die Anzahl von Unterbrechungen einer bestimmten Unterbrechungsdauerw für Wolken- bzw. Bodenblitze darstellen. Die Konstanten A und B hängen von der Gesamtzahl der betrachteten Blitze ab. Für eine bestimmte Anzahl von Gewittern schneiden sich die beiden Verteilungsfunktionen bei einer Unterbrechungsdauer vonw=11 ms. Längere Unterbrechungsperioden sind Bodenblitzen zuzuordnen, kürzere entsprechend den Wolkenblitzen. Unter Benutzung dieser kritischen Unterbrechungsdauer sind Blitzzähler konstruiert worden, welche zwischen Boden- und Wolkenblitzen gut unterscheiden können.

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Author notes

  1. K. S. Kreielsheimer

    Present address: Geophysics Section, Department of Physics, University of Auckland, Private Bag, Auckland, New Zealand

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Geophysics Section, Department of Physics, University of Auckland, Private Bag, Auckland, New Zealand

    D. Lodge-Osborn

Authors
  1. K. S. Kreielsheimer
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  2. D. Lodge-Osborn
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Dedicated to the memory of Prof. Hans Israël.

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Kreielsheimer, K.S., Lodge-Osborn, D. The gap-width distribution in lightning flashes. Arch. Met. Geoph. Biokl. A. 21, 339–345 (1972). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02247982

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02247982

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