Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!lll-winken!lll-tis!helios.ee.lbl.gov!pasteur!agate!ig!uwmcsd1!mailrus!cornell!rochester!kodak!ornitz
From: ornitz@kodak.UUCP (barry ornitz)
Newsgroups: sci.electronics
Subject: Re: Lightning rods. Was: Protecting computer equipment
Summary: Read the full article
Keywords: lightning, lightning rods, discharges, protection
Message-ID: <1327@kodak.UUCP>
Date: 15 Jul 88 14:29:07 GMT
References: <1988Jul8.045005.17867@utzoo.uucp> <6179@aw.sei.cmu.edu> <1323@kodak.UUCP> <1228@thumper.bellcore.com>
Reply-To: ornitz@kodak.UUCP (barry ornitz)
Followup-To: sci.electronics
Organization: Eastman Kodak Co, Rochester, NY
Lines: 24

You really need to read the entire article.

While the tip is protected, the rod will generally be hit several inches to
several feet below the tip unless a better path is found in the vicinity.
The rod will _not_ prevent lightning strikes!

The full reference is:  Moore, C. B.: Improved
Configurations of Lightning Rods and Air Terminals, "Journal of the Franklin
Institute," Vol. 315, No. 1, January 1983, pp 61-85, Pergamon Press, Oxford.
My memory was mistaken on Moore's address.  He is with the Langmuir Laboratory
of the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology.

I was about 75 feet from a large tree hit by lightning once (in a building).
Not only was the tree split, but the root system exploded leaving numerous
furrows in the ground with the major roots exposed.  Scary!
                                                 73  Barry  WA4VZQ
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| |  / /        | |  Dr. Barry L. Ornitz   UUCP:...!rochester!kodak!ornitz
| | / /         | |  Eastman Kodak Company
| |< < K O D A K| |  Eastman Chemicals Division Research Laboratories
| | \ \         | |  P. O. Box 1972
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