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Detailed Reference Information |
Sobral, H., Villagrán-Muniz, M., Navarro-González, R. and Camps, E. (2002). Experimental simulation of a double return-stroke lightning flash by lasers. Geophysical Research Letters 29: doi: 10.1029/2002GL015715. issn: 0094-8276. |
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A lightning flash is composed of various energetic discharges called return-strokes which are believed to be responsible for the natural formation NOX in the atmosphere. We report the first experimental attempt in the simulation of such a process. The temporal evolution of electric breakdown in air at atmospheric pressure of two synchronized Nd:YAG nanosecond laser pulses was studied to understand the physical behavior of a double return-stroke lightning flash by shadowgraphy and interferometry techniques. The temperature of the second return-stroke reaches about 20,000 K after 1 ¿s of laser ignition of the second pulse and cools off more rapidly than the first discharge. The cooling rate of the heated gas is about a factor of two faster for the second simulated return-stroke. The estimated production of nitric oxide of two synchronized laser induced plasmas seems to be not substantially modified as compared with the sum of the isolated single pulses. |
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Abstract![](/images/icons/spacer.gif) |
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Keywords
Meteorology and Atmospheric Dynamics, Lightning, Meteorology and Atmospheric Dynamics, Atmospheric electricity, Atmospheric Composition and Structure, Troposphere--composition and chemistry, Meteorology and Atmospheric Dynamics, Instruments and techniques |
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Publisher
American Geophysical Union 2000 Florida Avenue N.W. Washington, D.C. 20009-1277 USA 1-202-462-6900 1-202-328-0566 service@agu.org |
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