The electromagnetic field of an improved lightning return-stroke representation

An analytical technique for correlating ground level return-stroke currents to the produced surface electromagnetic fields is discussed. The ground is realistically assumed to have finite conductivity. The lossless nonuniform transmission line model with cross section exponentially decreasing upward turns out to be a powerful, as well as plausible, discharge channel representation. By virtue of the analytical nature of this approach, a number of details typically ascribed to the electromagnetic performance of lightning appear on the whole suitably counted for. Therefore, the hypotheses employed and the results found for this investigation can be assumed to be useful for studying the discharge phenomenon