An analysis of lightning and the limitations it imposes on a global model of thunderstorm electricity

dc.contributor.advisorFew, Arthur A., Jr.en_US
dc.creatorGeis, Paul B.en_US
dc.date.accessioned2009-06-04T00:06:53Zen_US
dc.date.available2009-06-04T00:06:53Zen_US
dc.date.issued1990en_US
dc.description.abstractI report here on preliminary work incorporating transient effects from lightning into a global thunderstorm electricity model. First, E, the electric field produced by a lightning return stroke, is analytically derived. Second, a determination is made of the model's ability to handle the quickly varying fields produced by lightning. In solving for the conduction current and other quantities of interest in the atmosphere the contribution to E from the vector potential is ignored. This approximation is most likely to be invalidated by the electric fields associated with lightning. We calculate the electric field component due to the vector potential, and the conduction current this electric field drives. The conduction current driven by the lightning flash is small compared to the other currents present for the time scales of importance in the model, and can be ignored. Therefore the model is able to include the effect of lightning on the global electric circuit even though the radiation component of the lightning is explicitly absent. A test of the model's accuracy, the continuity of current test, shows the model's results are self-consistent to within 9%-17%, depending upon the region being studied.en_US
dc.format.extent40 p.en_US
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdfen_US
dc.identifier.callnoThesis Sp. Sci. 1990 Geisen_US
dc.identifier.citationGeis, Paul B.. "An analysis of lightning and the limitations it imposes on a global model of thunderstorm electricity." (1990) Master’s Thesis, Rice University. <a href="https://hdl.handle.net/1911/13434">https://hdl.handle.net/1911/13434</a>.en_US
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/1911/13434en_US
dc.language.isoengen_US
dc.rightsCopyright is held by the author, unless otherwise indicated. Permission to reuse, publish, or reproduce the work beyond the bounds of fair use or other exemptions to copyright law must be obtained from the copyright holder.en_US
dc.subjectAtmospheric sciencesen_US
dc.titleAn analysis of lightning and the limitations it imposes on a global model of thunderstorm electricityen_US
dc.typeThesisen_US
dc.type.materialTexten_US
thesis.degree.departmentSpace Scienceen_US
thesis.degree.disciplineNatural Sciencesen_US
thesis.degree.grantorRice Universityen_US
thesis.degree.levelMastersen_US
thesis.degree.nameMaster of Scienceen_US
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