Deterministic chaos in electromagnetic fields induced by lightning discharges

摘要

The chaos theory was applied to irregular atmospheric signals generated by lightning discharges in a summer thunderstorm. Time series of the induction field amplitude have been measured with an orthogonal antenna (60 cm in diameter, frequency range of 10 kHz to 500 kHz). Various trajectories were plotted in m-dimensional phase space, and strange attractors were found in these trajectories as a result. The correlation dimensions for ground and cloud flashes were estimated to be the same. Since the maximal Lyapunov exponents for the ground and cloud flashes were found to be positive, it was concluded that a chaotic characteristic existed in the induction field components.