Analysis of Channel Luminosity Characteristics in Rocket-Triggered Lightning

A comparison is made of the high-speed(2000 fps)photographic records in rocket-triggered negative lightning between two techniques.The analysis shows that:the initial speed of upward positive leader (UPL)in altitude-triggered negative lightning(ATNL)is about one order of magnitude less than that in classically triggered negative lightning(CTNL),while the triggering height of ATNL is higher than that of CTNL;the afterglow time of metal-vaporized part of the lightning channel Call endure for about 160-170 ms,thus the luminosity of the air-ionized part can reflect the characteristics of the current in the lightning channel better than that of the metal-vaporized part.According to the different characteristics of the luminosity change of the lightning channel,together with the observation of the electric field changes,three kinds of processes after return-stroke(RS)can be distinguished:the continuous decaying type without M component,the isolated type and the continuing type with M component,corresponding to different wave shapes of the continuous current.The geometric mean of the interval of RS with M component is 77 ms,longer than that(37 ms)of RS without M component.And the initial continuous current(ICC)with M component also has a longer duration compared to the ICC without M component.The distinction in the relative luminosity between the lightning channel before RS and that before M component is obvious:the former is very weak or even cannot be observed,while the latter is still considerably luminous.