The Dependence of the Lightning Current Parameters on the Channel Height

When an aircraft in flight is connected to a lightning channel of a flash to ground, the current waveform changes with height, because the charge stored in the lower part of the downward leader channel is not flowing through the aircraft. Concerning the current of the first and subsequent stroke defined in the international standard I EC 61312-1 this effect is investigated with different return stroke models up to an altitude of 5 km, wherein the air-crafts are mostly struck by lightning. The examined current parameters are the peak value, the charge, the action integral, the maximum current derivative, the front time and the time to half value.