CORONA CURRENT INSTRUMENTS FOR ELECTRIC FIELD DETECTION OF LIGHTING POTENTIAL

THIS PROPOSAL IS TO DEVELOP RELATIVELY SIMPLE, INEXPENSIVE AND RELIABLE SOLID STATE INSTRUMENTATION THAT CAN MEASURE ELECTRIC FIELDS NEAR THE EARTH'S SURFACE IN ORDER TO ESTIMATE THE LIKELIHOOD FOR TRIGGERED LIGHTNING WHICH COULD AFFECT MISSILE LAUNCHES AND RECOVERY OF THE SPACE SHUTTLE. PRESENTLY THERE IS A FIELD MILL NETWORK AT KENNEDY SPACE CENTER SERVING THIS FUNCTION. FIELD MILLS ARE EXPENSIVE TO PURCHASE AND MAINTAIN AND REQUIRE ELECTRIC POWER TO DRIVE THEIR MOTORS. THE PROPOSED INSTRUMENTATION WOULD REQUIRE MINIMAL DC POWER AND NO AC POWER (THEY COULD BE POWERED WITHDRY CELLS), WOULD HAVE NO MOVING PARTS AND REQUIRE MINIMAL MAINTENANCE. THEY COULD EITHER REPLACE THE PRESENT FIELD MILLS AND/OR BE INTEGRATED INTO THE EXISTING SYSTEM TO EXPAND IT. THEY COULD ALSO BE INSTALLED EASILY AT NEW REMOTE LOCATIONS OR AT OTHER NASA FACILITIES. THE NEW INSTRUMENTATION WOULD FUNCTION BY MEASURING CORONA CURRENTS MADE INSENSITIVE TO WIND VELOCITY. AS PART OF THE PROGRAM, ESTIMATES WOULD BE MADE OF POTENTIAL AND ELECTRIC FIELDS UNDER AND IN CHARGED CLOUDS OVER KSC TO DETERMINE THE EXTENTTO WHICH THE SPACE CHARGE LAYER NEAR THE GROUND UNDER THUNDERSTORMS MASKS THE TRUE INTENSITY OF FIELDS IN THE CLOUDS. AIRCRAFT MEASUREMENTS OF ELECTRIC FIELDS IN THE SUBCLOUD/LOWER CLOUD REGION AS WELL AS BELOW THUNDERCLOUD ANVILS WOULD BE OBTAINED AS PART OF THE PROPOSED RESEARCH.