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Name: marsha
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Question:
How can some one Is it possible to induce a lightning strike? How could I find out about the process is for doing this?


Replies:
In National Geographic I read an article about lightning that discussed a method of inducing lightning bolts with small rockets. Basically a small solid fuel rocket is launched into a nasty looking thunderhead. Attached to the rocket is a small metal wire that is allowed to spool off of some sort of spindle. Apparently the experimentalists found this an effective way to get a lightning bolt. It did not seem to bleed the charge and lower the potential difference a would a lightning rod. According to this article it worked reasonably well. I am sorry that I cannot give you the specific edition of N.G. to look up. I think is was either 93 or 94. It was the cover story - nice photographs, do not you know.

Nick P. Drozdoff


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