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From: rdp@teddy.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.physics
Subject: Lightning
Message-ID: <936@teddy.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 15-Jul-85 14:12:10 EDT
Article-I.D.: teddy.936
Posted: Mon Jul 15 14:12:10 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 17-Jul-85 21:06:14 EDT
Reply-To: rdp@teddy.UUCP (Richard D. Pierce)
Distribution: net.physics
Organization: GenRad, Inc., Concord, Mass.
Lines: 31
Summary: 


During a recent flight from Boston to (yech) Allentown-Bethlehem PA, we had
the occasion to spend quite a bit of time flying around in thunderstorms.
It was quite fascinating, and I noticed two very interesting phenomenon.
First, there was a lobster walking down the aisle. (It should have kept 
it's seatbelt fastened and stayed out of hot water :-)).

The second, and more mysterious was something I noticed about lightening.

The strokes (flashes, what have you) seemed not to occur at random intervals,
but with a very definite pattern. There would be a period as long 10 seconds
during which no lightning would occur, the, as soon as one flash would occur,
many more would, at very different location.

It seemed as if there was some sort of trigger mechanism at work. That is,
p[otential would build up at multiple sights, but no discharge would occur
unless A) The potential was REALLY high, and just couldn't wait, or B) the
potential was high and bolt had just occureed somewhere else.

I had offhandedly noticed this before, but from the vantage point of an
airplane (anywhere from 5000 to 25000 feet high) it was quite vivid.

Question:  Is there some sort of trigger mechanism at work here? Does the
occurance of one discharge increase the likelyhood of another remotely
(greater than 1000 feet away) located discharge. If so, how does it 
happen ("photoelectric" effect, increase in the ionization of the air
because of extreme electric/magnetic/RF, magic?). Am I suffering from to
little a sample here to have stumbled across a real phenomenon (possible,
but the effect was VERY apparent!)

Any suggestions?