Lightning tracking system

A system is described for locating lightning strikes by developing the coordinates of a pair of lines, each of which is produced at a reference sensing station. At each station there are a pair of directional antennas which produce analog signals responsive to a lightning stroke. These analog signals are fed to a pair of integrators which integrate the signals for a predetermined period of time so as to produce the X and Y coordinate of a particular line. The analog signals are also fed through a square rooter, a Schmitt trigger circuit, and flip-flops to produce pulses for starting and stopping the integrators. The system at the remote station is similar to that at the central station and is tied to the circuitry at the central station through logic circuits to minimize the chance of error from spurious signals. Computers, printers, and plotters are utilized to plot the exact location of the lightning stroke

Electric field measuring and display system

An apparatus is described for monitoring the electric fields of cloud formations within a particular area. It utilizes capacitor plates that are alternately shielded from the clouds for generating an alternating signal corresponding to the intensity of the electric field of the clouds. A synchronizing signal is produced for controlling sampling of the alternating signal. Such samplings are fed through a filter and converted by an analogue to digital converter into digital form and subsequently fed to a transmitter for transmission to the control station for recording

Measuring the electric field of a cloud

Network of electric field measuring stations has been developed to assess lightning hazard of charged clouds. Sensor data are digitized and transmitted to central processing area for display

Lightning current waveform measuring system

An apparatus is described for monitoring current waveforms produced by lightning strikes which generate currents in an elongated cable. These currents are converted to voltages and to light waves for being transmitted over an optical cable to a remote location. At the remote location, the waves are reconstructed back into electrical waves for being stored into a memory. The information is stored within the memory with a timing signal so that only different signals need be stored in order to reconstruct the wave form

An automatic lightning detection and photographic system

Conventional 35-mm camera is activated by an electronic signal every time lightning strikes in general vicinity. Electronic circuit detects lightning by means of antenna which picks up atmospheric radio disturbances. Camera is equipped with fish-eye lense, automatic shutter advance, and small 24-hour clock to indicate time when exposures are made