Correlation Between Speed of the Leader and Peak Current of the Return Stroke in Negative Lightning Flashes

Abstract This study analyzes the two‐dimensional speed profiles of 107 stepped leaders and 93 dart leaders recorded by high‐speed cameras in Utah (USA), together with data from lightning location system. The results shows that the final and average speed of the stepped leader has a very strong ( R = 0.82) and strong ( R = 0.71) correlation with the peak current of the return stroke. It also shows that 91% of the stepped leaders increased their speed near the ground (average increase of 69%). The same analysis for dart leaders shows weak correlation with the peak current of the prospective return stroke ( R = 0.39 to average speed and R = 0.28 to final speed). This paper briefly discusses why peak current is better correlated with final speed than with the average speed, and why stepped leaders exhibit a significant correlation, while dart leaders do not.

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Publication Details

Journal
Geophysical Research Letters
Published
2025-01-16
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1029/2024gl111594
Citations
13
Primary Topic
Lightning and Electromagnetic Phenomena
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
15.01

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article

Correlation Between Speed of the Leader and Peak Current of the Return Stroke in Negative Lightning Flashes

Marcelo M. F. Saba, N. Kieu, Hugh G.P. Hunt, Diego Rhamon Reis da Silva et al.
13 citations
Geophysical Research Letters
Lightning and Electromagnetic Phenomena
15.01
article

Correlation Between Speed of the Leader and Peak Current of the Return Stroke in Negative Lightning Flashes

Marcelo M. F. Saba, N. Kieu, Hugh G.P. Hunt, Diego Rhamon Reis da Silva, Paola Beatriz Lauria, Carina Schumann, Tagianne Patricia da Silva, Ivan Toucedo Cruz, Rasha Abbasi, José Claudio O. Silva
article en
13 citations

Abstract

Abstract This study analyzes the two‐dimensional speed profiles of 107 stepped leaders and 93 dart leaders recorded by high‐speed cameras in Utah (USA), together with data from lightning location system. The results shows that the final and average speed of the stepped leader has a very strong ( R = 0.82) and strong ( R = 0.71) correlation with the peak current of the return stroke. It also shows that 91% of the stepped leaders increased their speed near the ground (average increase of 69%). The same analysis for dart leaders shows weak correlation with the peak current of the prospective return stroke ( R = 0.39 to average speed and R = 0.28 to final speed). This paper briefly discusses why peak current is better correlated with final speed than with the average speed, and why stepped leaders exhibit a significant correlation, while dart leaders do not.

Geophysical Research LettersVol. 52(2)
Loyola University Chicago (US), University of the Witwatersrand (ZA), Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais (BR)
National Science Foundation, National Research Foundation, Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo, Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior, Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico
Openalex Percentile: Top 1%
Lightning and Electromagnetic Phenomena
15.01
DOIOpen Access PDFOpenAlex
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