The Operation of Apparatus for Determining the Location of Nearby Thunderstorm Foci

摘要

Errors in recording the azimuths of thunderstorm discharges and the selection of the operating regime of the amplitude analyzers in the apparatus, which consists of a location finder with two frame antennas set up at some distance from each other, are examined. The maximum error in the determination of the azimuth sferics is shown to be the sum of given elements. In evaluating the distance of the nearest thunderstorm discharge on the basis of the amplitude distribution of sferics it is necessary to harmonize the requirements for the detailing of the scale with increase of the indeterminacy arising as a result of the overlapping of the readings of neighboring counters of thunderstorm discharges. The calculations made show that in practice (tolerable overlapping of the readings of neighboring indicators within the limits of 20-30 percent) by using a distance block with six indicators it is possible to maintain the following scale: 25, 50, 100, 170, 270 and 400 km. The operation of the sixth indicator shows that thunderstorms are present at a distance less than 40 km, the operation of the fifth indicator shows the presence of thunderstorms at a distance less than 270 km, etc. (Author)