Study of an electrical field recorder in cloud-to-ground discharges (Projeto Cintila)

Abstract

The lightning phenomena are a complex electrodynamics manifestation that illustrates and characterizes the thermo-electrodynamics convective processes within the storms. The study of occurrence the lightning electric discharges is significant in understanding the mechanism in those processes in order to use this knowledge in many practical applications such meteorology and engineering. The primary objective of this project is to investigate principles of the experimental electronics, in order to achieve measurements techniques of electrical field in cloud-to-ground lightning discharges with national technology. The institute of research INPE (Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais) has been pioneer in investigating the causes and effects of lightning as well as analyzing a wide variety of atmospheric measurements related to thunderstorms and this project is part of a cooperative effort of sharing knowledge between the institutes namely DGE/INPE and DF/UNESP - Rio Claro-SP-Brazil. The main reason of this effort is to disseminate and to consolidate new research centers in studying planetary atmospheric phenomena. (AU)