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The relationship of leader and return stroke processes in cloud‐to‐ground lightning
Author(s) -
Mazur Vladislav,
Ruhnke Lothar H.,
Laroche Pierre
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/95gl02348
Subject(s) - lightning (connector) , electric field , cloud computing , meteorology , stroke (engine) , physics , distribution (mathematics) , field (mathematics) , atmospheric sciences , environmental science , mathematics , computer science , mathematical analysis , quantum mechanics , power (physics) , pure mathematics , operating system , thermodynamics
The unique relationship between the leader and return stroke in cloud‐to‐ground flashes and the ambient cloud potential distribution is formulated. This relationship in the form of a ratio of an electric field produced by a leader, Δ E l , to that of a return stroke, Δ E r , is analyzed for two electrostatic leader models, the bi‐directional leader and the Schonland “source charge” models, and is then compared with field measurements. It is found that the Δ E l /Δ E r ratios of real flashes fall between the curves of the ratios calculated for the two leader models, with each model representing an extreme condition of ambient electric field distribution.