Abstract Temporal variation of the luminosity of lightning channel can provide a proxy for the temporal variation of current flowing through it. In this study, seven groups of lightning currents with fast-front waveforms, spanning a 10–90% risetime range from 2.1 to 9.5 μs, a half-peak width range from 35.5 to 147.8 μs, and an amplitude range from 3 to 30 kA, are injected into a 15-mm air gap between a pair of graphite rod electrodes. An analysis is given of waveform associations and of waveform parameter correlations between current pulses and luminosity pulses emitted by the current-carrying channel. The luminosity signature is found to be generally divided into three stages: initial rising stage, initial fast decay stage, and later slow decay stage. During the later slow decay stage, the luminosity follows faithfully with the current (i.e., linearly correlated with current), whereas no such a feature is found in the previous two stages. The current peak is roughly, linearly correlated with the luminosity peak. A roughly linear relationship is found between the current risetime and the luminosity risetime, but no direct correlations are observed between their half-peak widths. In regard of optical signature, it is concluded that the laboratory-generated lightning currents, which are featured with relatively short front times and relatively slow decay after peak, are of similar nature as the return-stroke current in naturally-occurred lightning arc.

中文翻译：

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快前雷电流与合成弧光通道光度相关性的实验研究

摘要 闪电通道光度的时间变化可以代表流过它的电流的时间变化。在本研究中，七组具有快波前波形的雷电流，其上升时间范围为 2.1 至 9.5 μs，半峰宽范围为 35.5 至 147.8 μs，幅度范围为 3 至 30 kA ，被注入一对石墨棒电极之间的 15 毫米气隙中。分析了电流脉冲与载流通道发射的光度脉冲之间的波形关联和波形参数相关性。发现光度特征一般分为三个阶段：初始上升阶段、初始快速衰减阶段和后期缓慢衰减阶段。在后期的缓慢衰减阶段，光度忠实地跟随电流（即，与电流线性相关），而在前两个阶段没有发现这样的特征。当前峰值与光度峰值大致线性相关。在电流上升时间和光度上升时间之间发现了大致的线性关系，但在它们的半峰宽之间没有观察到直接的相关性。从光学特征来看，实验室产生的雷电流具有波前时间较短、峰后衰减较慢的特点，与自然发生的雷弧中的返程电流具有相似的性质。在电流上升时间和光度上升时间之间发现了大致的线性关系，但在它们的半峰宽之间没有观察到直接的相关性。从光学特征来看，实验室产生的雷电流具有波前时间较短、峰后衰减较慢的特点，与自然发生的雷弧中的返程电流具有相似的性质。在电流上升时间和光度上升时间之间发现了大致的线性关系，但在它们的半峰宽之间没有观察到直接的相关性。从光学特征来看，实验室产生的雷电流具有波前时间较短、峰后衰减较慢的特点，与自然发生的雷弧中的返程电流具有相似的性质。