Calculation Methods of Electromagnetic Fields Very Close to Lightning

Abstract

In this short paper, we present two methods: Quasi-images formula and finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method to evaluate the electromagnetic fields very close to lightning channel, which are applicable for poorly conducting ground case, and the numerical results are consistent with each other. Moreover, the vertical electric fields at 15 m obtained by the two proposed methods is in good agreement with the measured result, and the horizontal electric field at a distance of 100 m above finely conducting ground obtained by the FDTD method is identical to the field obtained by accurate Cooray-Rubinstein approximation. With the proposed quasi-images formula, the effects of electrical dispersion of the ground on the lightning generated electromagnetic fields are analyzed and some significant results are obtained.