Behaviour of multiple lightning dischargers under a tropical thundercloud

Abstract

Lightning discharges on ground depend on the electrostatic charges, nature of vegetation, topography and dyna-mics of the turbulent layer. In designing lightning protectors, one major consideration is the highest point in the surrounding that lightning is directed. The effects of ambient dischargers on lightning protectors were investi-gated, to determine both the discharge behavior and performance. The starting potential of the discharger confi-guration increased with clearance of tip of the central discharger from surrounding dischargers, instead of incre-asing with the average spacing between dischargers. The point of strike of lightning discharge depended on the line of least stress rather than the height clearance from the cloud; which determined the charge structure and dynamics of the cloud particulates.