Electron density measurement of a lightning stepped leader by oxygen spectral lines

Jianyong Cen; Qiang Hou; Ping Yuan; Jinjun Zhang; Minna Sun; Junxing Pan; Zengli Cao

doi:10.1063/1.5042509

AIP Advances (Aug 2018)

Electron density measurement of a lightning stepped leader by oxygen spectral lines

Jianyong Cen,
Qiang Hou,
Ping Yuan,
Jinjun Zhang,
Minna Sun,
Junxing Pan,
Zengli Cao

Affiliations

Jianyong Cen: College of Physics and Information Engineering, Shanxi Normal University, Linfen, Shanxi 041000, China
Qiang Hou: College of Physics and Information Engineering, Shanxi Normal University, Linfen, Shanxi 041000, China
Ping Yuan: Key Laboratory of Atomic and Molecular Physics and Functional Materials of Gansu Province, College of Physics and Electronic Engineering, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou, Gansu 730070, China
Jinjun Zhang: College of Physics and Information Engineering, Shanxi Normal University, Linfen, Shanxi 041000, China
Minna Sun: College of Physics and Information Engineering, Shanxi Normal University, Linfen, Shanxi 041000, China
Junxing Pan: College of Physics and Information Engineering, Shanxi Normal University, Linfen, Shanxi 041000, China
Zengli Cao: College of Physics and Information Engineering, Shanxi Normal University, Linfen, Shanxi 041000, China

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5042509
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 8, no. 8
pp. 085019 – 085019-6

Abstract

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The time-resolved spectrum of a lightning stepped leader in downward process has been obtained by using a slitless spectrograph. Neutral oxygen and nitrogen spectral lines in the near infrared region are observed in the spectra. The electron density of the lightning stepped leader was calculated by using the Stark broadening of the oxygen spectral lines at 777.4 and 844.6 nm. The evolution characteristic of the electron density with time and channel height of the lightning stepped leader was analysed. The results shown that the electron density of the lightning stepped leader was in the order of 1018 cm-3. The electron density decreased when the lightning stepped leader propagates downward to ground.

Published in AIP Advances

ISSN: 2158-3226 (Online)
Publisher: AIP Publishing LLC
Country of publisher: United States
LCC subjects: Science: Physics
Website: http://aipadvances.aip.org/

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