D. I. Sukharevsky

Observation of a new class of electric discharges within artificial clouds of charged water droplets and its implication for lightning initiation within thunderclouds

We have observed unusual plasma formations (UPFs) in artificial clouds of charged water droplets using a high-speed infrared camera operating in conjunction with a high-speed visible-range camera. Inferred plasma parameters were close to those of long-spark leaders observed in the same experiments, while the channel morphology was distinctly different from that of leaders, so that UPFs can be viewed as a new type of in-cloud discharge. These formations can occur in the absence of spark leaders and appear to be manifestations of collective processes building, essentially from scratch, a complex hierarchical network of interacting channels at different stages of development (some of which are hot and live for milliseconds). We believe that the phenomenon should commonly occur in thunderclouds and might give insights on the missing link in the still poorly understood lightning initiation process.

Infrared images of bidirectional leaders produced by the cloud of charged water droplets

Detailed infrared (2.7–5.5 µm) images of bidirectional leaders produced by the cloud of small (typical radius of 0.5 µm), positively charged water droplets are presented. The leader was composed of the downward extending positive part and the upward extending negative part, these two parts (both branched, although in different ways) being connected by the single-channel middle part. The downward extending part included the tortuous positive leader channel (similar to its upward extending counterpart observed when the cloud polarity was negative) that was often accompanied by much less tortuous but often equally bright downward extending plasma formations of unknown nature. Very faint positive streamer zone was also observed. Either the positive leader channel or the unusual plasma formation (UPF) can come in contact with the grounded plane. The upward extending part is associated with a large network of faint channels, mostly fanning out of the upper part of the usually much brighter leader channel and apparently pervading the entire upper part of the cloud. Some of those faint channels could be unusually long and bright negative streamers, while others could be similar to UPFs. The IR luminosity along the brightest part of the bidirectional leader channel is often nonuniform. Some variations in channel brightness are localized and suggest the involvement of space leader-type processes at multiple positions along the channel, changes in channel orientation, or variations in channel radius.

A new class of electric discharges in clouds of negatively charged water droplets

We have observed unusual plasma formations (UPFs) in artificial clouds of charged water droplets using a high-speed infrared camera operating in conjunction with a high-speed visible-range camera. Inferred plasma parameters were close to those of long-spark leaders observed in the same experiments, while the channel morphology was distinctly different from that of leaders, so that UPFs can be viewed as a new type of in-cloud discharge. These formations can occur in the absence of spark leaders and appear to be manifestations of collective processes building, essentially from scratch, a complex hierarchical network of interacting channels at different stages of development (some of which are hot and live for milliseconds). We believe that the phenomenon should commonly occur in thunderclouds and might give insights on the missing link in the still poorly understood lightning initiation process.

Electric discharges produced by artificially charged clouds: Influence of rapidly moving conductive object

The possibility of initiation of electric discharges by a crossbow bolt (projectile) moving in the electric field of a cloud of negatively charged water droplets has been demonstrated for the first time [1]. Over one hundred of discharges have been produced. For each event, a high-speed video camera recorded the images of upward positive leaders developing from both the nearby grounded sphere and the projectile, followed by the return-stroke-like process. Corresponding currents were measured and integrated photos of the events were obtained. The results can help to improve our understanding of lightning initiation by airborne vehicles and by a vertical conductor rapidly extended below the thundercloud in order to trigger lightning with the rocket-and-wire technique.