As we have seen the lightening during early showers before the rainy season sets in.The formation of path of glow(plasma state) is irregular in shape.what factors does govern the creation of such path between the clouds/between the clouds and earth?
Accumulated HV charge of clouds, ionized the small portion path air, coming in path, making way head to ground(at zero potential), gradually forms zig zag path, traveling towards ground.....
Dear Bhupendra Desai
Thank you.You are right according to physics.My doubt still is that the zig-zag path appears like the cracks formed when a hard brittle objects are hit.Is there any explanation of such similarities?
Dear Dr. Kumar,
You are right in your observation, the fractal zig-zag pattern could be explained by the elementary techniques of a fractal analysis. The elegant model describing the formation of the fractal shapes of lightning paths is presented at
http://www.nonlin-processes-geophys.net/2/101/1995/npg-2-101-1995.pdf
The same type of modeling could be used to reproduce the shapes of discharges between the cloud tops and ionosphere.
I hope that the attached link answers your question.
With my kind regards,
Janusz
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