For the first time, scientists are successful in using lasers for diverting lightning strikes. Read to know how this was possible.
How was diverting lightning strikes made possible?
While safety rods are commonly used for the diversion of lighting and safely dissipating its charge, it comes with limitations. However, scientists came up with an upgraded idea using high-powered lasers. The Säntis experiment uses a strong laser near a 124-meter-high telecom tower. The tower is struck by lightning roughly 1000 times a year. During storm season between July and September 2022, they fired laser pulses toward thunderclouds for more than six hours. They used instruments for recording strikes which later revealed they helped in diverting the course.
During one of the strikes in July 2022, they observed the path of lightning with the help of high-speed cameras. The observation revealed the bolt following the path of lasers for about 50 meters. This reveals that pulses of laser were helping in diverting the electrical discharge. Similar systems can be set up for diverting strikes in the future.
More on the new technology
A laser beam holding sufficient intensity is capable of creating a conductive path, similar to a metal wire. They can cause a shift in the air and help beams to condense. This heats the air and leads to a reduction of the density and creates a path for the lightning. “The cost of the laser system is very high compared with that of a simple rod. However, lasers could be a more reliable way to direct the lightning discharge, and this may be important for the lightning protection of critical ground installations and equipment,” stated Professor Manu Haddad. Haddad is the director of the Morgan-Botti Lightning Laboratory at Cardiff University.
