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Electro-Optic Lightning DetectorThe design, alignment, calibration, and field deployment of a solid-state lightning detector is described. The primary sensing component of the detector is a potassium dihydrogen phosphate (KDP) electro-optic crystal that is attached in series to a flat plate aluminum antenna; the antenna is exposed to the ambient thundercloud electric field. A semiconductor laser diode (lambda = 685 nm), polarizing optics, and the crystal are arranged in a Pockels cell configuration. Lightning-caused electric field changes are then related to small changes in the transmission of laser light through the optical cell. Several hundred lightning electric field change excursions were recorded during 4 thunderstorms that occurred in the summer of 1998 at the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) in Northern Alabama.
Document ID
19990106243
Acquisition Source
Marshall Space Flight Center
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Koshak, Willliam
(NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Huntsville, AL United States)
Solakiewicz, Richard
(NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Huntsville, AL United States)
Date Acquired
August 19, 2013
Publication Date
September 29, 1998
Publication Information
Publication: Journal of Applied Optics
Subject Category
Meteorology And Climatology
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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