Discharge characteristics obtained with an impulse voltage simulating the lightning stepped leader

Abstract

. We have developed a system for generating an impulse voltage that can simulate the electric field induced by lightning stepped leaders. Using such impulse voltage, we have performed a series of discharge experiments at different voltages and with various curvature radii of needle e1ectrodes. We obtained fo11owing resu1ts; (1) The breakdown vo1tage at the new type of vo1tage is lower than that for standard lightning impulse voltage (1.2/50 µs), (2) Standard deviation of time-Jag of spark at the new type of voltage is higher than that for the standard lightning impulse voltage.