Microwave diagnostics of electrical discharges in an artificial cloud of charged water drops

Abstract

The microwave diagnostics of discharges occurring in an artificial cloud of charged water droplets created in an open air simulating the environment of thunderclouds is implemented. An artificial cloud with a droplet size of about 1 microns is opaque in the visible range, so intra-cloud discharges are not available for investigation by traditional methods in the spark discharge physics based on the registration of visible discharge radiation. Microwaves pass through such a cloud without noticeable attenuation, they interact only with the plasma of discharges occurring in the cloud. The probing microwave radiation had a wavelength of 8 mm. The attenuation of microwaves passed through the cloud was measured with temporary resolution of about 10 ns. The temporal characteristics of intra-cloud discharges were investigated. Keywords: spark, leader, streamer, electromagnetic wave.