Instrument Records Electric Fields Generated by Lightning

A portable, self-contained, compact instrument measures and records transient electric fields generated by nearby lightning strikes. This instrument complements, and in many respects is similar to, the one described in "Instrument Records Magnetic Fields Generated by Lightning" (KSC-11769), NASA Tech Briefs, Vol. 19, No. 4 (April 1995), page 38. Both instruments are designed to be placed near sensitive electronic equipment before thunderstorms begin. The data recorded by the instruments during thunderstorms can be analyzed afterward to determine whether the electromagnetic fields associated with the lightning were strong enough that they might have damaged and/or affected the operation of the sensitive equipment. Thus, the instruments provide data that can be used in deciding whether the sensitive equipment should be tested for damage and/or other effects caused by lightning. Typical installations in which the instruments could prove beneficial include outdoor sensing equipment, computer rooms, broadcasting stations, and powerplant-control rooms.