Statistical Characteristics of Current and Magnetic Fields at Close Distances From Triggered Lightning

The statistical characteristics of current and magnetic field waveforms from triggered lightning experiments at the Guangzhou Field Experiment Site for Lightning Research and Testing (GFESLRT) during the summer of 2019 are presented in this article. The parameters of statistical distributions of return stroke current are analyzed for peak current, 10–90% risetime, half-peak width, and interstroke interval. The geometric mean of peak current is 12.4 kA. The time-related parameters of the magnetic field at different distances are reported and compared to previous reports of close distances, which indicate the magnetic field 10–90% risetime and 30–90% risetime increase with the distance. The geometric means of the magnetic field peak at 58, 90, and 1600 m are 121.1, 66.2, and 1.85 μT, respectively. The magnetic field shows a positive linear relationship with current peak values. The analysis of all magnetic field peaks at different distances suggests a distance dependence of r−0.92.