Experimental Observations and Theoretical Modeling of Lightning Interaction with Tall Objects

This thesis investigates various discharge processes associated with upward lightning initiated from tall objects, both experimentally and theoretically, trying to bridge the knowledge-gap in understanding the mechanisms of the phenomena. Upward lightning initiation has attracted a great deal of interest during recent years due to the proliferation of tall communication towers and wind turbines. Simultaneous lightning current waveforms, close electric field changes, and lightning location system data associated with upward lightning measured at the instrumented Gaisberg Tower (GBT) near Salzburg in Austria from 2005 to 2009 is studied. It was observed that a majority of upward flashes (87%) were self-initiated, namely they were initiated at the tower top without any nearby preceding discharge activity, whereas only 26 (13%) upward flashes were nearby-lightning-triggered, namely they were triggered by nearby preceding lightning discharges occurring within 100 milliseconds or so. This observation is different from the study conducted in Rapid City in South Dakota of USA where they observed the majority of upward flashes (80/81) initiated from ten tall towers were nearby-lightning-triggered. The possible reasons for self-initiated upward flashes dominating at the GBT could be (1) the field enhancement due to the shape of Gaisberg Mountain which is more than 800 m above the surrounding terrain of the city of Salzburg and (2) low altitude of charge region in the cloud during non-convective season (September to March) in Austria. Three modes of charge transfer had previously been identified in cloud-to-ground lightning, namely that happens during leader-return stroke sequence, during continuing current and during M-components. On the basis of the analysis of the simultaneous current, electric field changes, and high-speed video images measurements, a mixed mode of charge transfer to ground for ICC pulses and M-components in tower-initiated (upward) lightning is proposed. Compared to classical rocket-triggered lightning, occurrence of multiple branches of upward lightning from tall towers is very common. A newly illuminated or re-illuminated branch connecting to the already luminous channel attached to the tower during initial continuous current and continuing current following return strokes is frequently observed. A mixed mode of charge transfer to ground is composed of a new or decayed branch involving the leader/return-stroke mode of charge transfer to gro