Luminosity Characteristics of Dart Leader and Attempted Leader in a Rocket Triggered Lightning

Abstract

A rocket triggered lightning is discussed on difference between dart leader and attempted leader. Attempted leader is a kind of stepped leader/dart leader that fails to connect with upward leader from the ground level. In this case, speed of dart leaders is larger than 1.08×107 m/s and that of attempted leaders has a mean value of 0.46×107 m/s. Sum and maximum luminosity of all dart leader channels present a constantly growing tendency with time. There is no relationship between speed and luminosity of dart leader channel but there may exist correlation between average luminosity of channel and propagation speed of attempted leaders. Whether luminosity of leader tail changes by a wide margin is an important difference between dart and attempted leader. An anomalous dart leader is recognized to be close to critical state between dart leader and attempted leader.