Anatomy of lightning
There are several types of lightning. In-cloud (within the cloud) and inter-cloud (between clouds) lightning is by far the most numerous and never touches the ground. D n the world 40 discharges occur every second, and only 1/4 of them will touch the ground. So most lightning will never reach the sea.
The only type of lightning that should concern sailors is the land arc (or more exactly the sea arc). It originates at altitude in the negatively charged storm cell. The lightning will find a channel through which it will travel, bringing with it other negative charges. When the channel arrives between 10 m and 30 m from the ground, it can meet a new channel coming this time from the sea surface, but positively charged, it is there that a lightning, an earth arc appears.
How does éclair? happen?
In this cloudy mass reigns an unimaginable chaos. Winds at over 100 knots rise, fall and circulate, carrying particles with them. The collisions and friction of these particles trigger ionization, the addition or removal of electrical charges to the particle.
The thinnest of them, the ice crystals (positive) go up to the top of the cloud while the heaviest, the raindrops (negative) go down. In the dark cloud mass, areas of opposite charges then form. There is an electrical imbalance inside the cloud, but also outside, between the negative base of the cloud and the positive ground.
Electric charges are in motion, when the accumulated charges become too high, and especially when there is direct opposition between these charges, there is an electric discharge. Lightning will follow a path, a path that will allow the current to pass more easily to restore the balance of electrical forces.
Lightning, thunder, and electricity in the air are thus due to the violating exchanges of hot and cold air masses that circulate in the cloud agitated by its violent winds.
What are the characteristics of foudre??
Lightning is an electric arc no thicker than 2 to 3 centimetres. However, it will generate between 10 and 20 million volts and a temperature close to 30,000 °C and as everyone knows a violent light and a muffled rumble.
Lightning will thus develop considerable energy in a very short time, but before and after it, a very strong and often destructive energy is associated with it.
